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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > November > 25 > Entry
County budget increases largely union driven
Personnel accounts for 94 percent of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office budget, finance director Vickie Barger said when I asked her about the agency’s requested $1.9 million increase. How can government offices cut their budgets as revenues drop when they say their hands are tied by union contracts?
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office is looking to increase its budget $1.9 million next year as county commissioners look for creative ways to balance the books and avoid layoffs.
Nearly all the increases in the sheriff’s office’s proposed $33.9 million budget are for union-negotiated pay increases, according to Vickie Barger, sheriff’s office finance director.
The sheriff’s office has two unions, one representing law enforcement officers and another for everyone else except for management. Non-union employees are not budgeted to receive pay increases.
“The commissioners asked us not to put that in until we see how the county is going to be (financially) as a whole,” Barger said.
County officials are sharpening the budget knife as requests continue trickling in from officeholders and departments.
County Administrator Tim Williams said revenues will likely drop slightly with the economy next year, so they may have to trim $4 million from the submitted budgets to make it work.
And while commissioners have already voted to eliminate several positions through attrition and layoffs, they’re trying to avoid using the axe.
Commissioner Gregory Jolivette suggested during a meeting Monday, Nov. 24, that the county consider closing on days that aren’t busy and giving staff an unpaid day off.
“We’re looking at a hole right now in the budget,” Jolivette said. “This is one way of trying to fill that hole without doing layoffs.”
Commission President Charles Furmon has floated the idea of cutting staff hours to 35 hours a week.
“We want to look at all possibilities right now,” Furmon said. “As opposed to layoffs, I would like to consider something like that if it’s a possibility. Everything is in the ‘what if’ stages right now.”
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By olivia
November 25, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
Butler county ought to be ashamed of itself. This country is in economic crisis and they are trying to milk money from the good taxpayers of Butler County. We all are having a hard time. I tell you right now when a levy is placed on the ballot I will not be voting on it. I refuse to pay Dick and the boys anymore of my hard earned money. They treat inmates worse than dogs, they treat family member like scum and have no respect for people in general. I don’t see no reason for them to increase their budget. Ask Simon Leis what will happen.