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Butler County budget cuts fall short of deficit

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer 9:57 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

HAMILTON — The first round of proposed cuts from officeholders and departments across Butler County fall far short of what’s needed to shore up a $6.6 million deficit expected next year.

Most budgets submitted over the past week include cuts. But there also are increases, most notably more than $1 million requested by the Board of Elections.

That money is needed, according to board Chairman Tom Ellis, because the agency is planning on a primary and general gubernatorial election next year, which take far more resources than the off-year races this year.

Altogether, officeholders slashed nearly $3.6 million from their budgets. But increases — which includes an additional $1.3 million county officials say is needed to maintain the new emergency radio system — total nearly $2.3 million.

This puts the county nearly $5.3 million short, or only about $1.3 million from where they started.

Commission President Donald Dixon said he’s not surprised that some officeholders didn’t comply with cuts requested by commissioners. “All they get from us is mixed messages,” Dixon said. “I think we need to change the tone of our budget requests.”

Instead of commissioners demanding cuts, Dixon suggested all the elected officeholders should meet to agree on the numbers and a plan to achieve them.

“We can’t do this separately,” he said. “We have to do this together.”

Domestic Relations Judge Sharon Kennedy — who spearheaded a budget work group of elected officials from across the county to address the crisis — agrees that better communication is needed. She said the work group has no quick-fix suggestions.

“I don’t think there’s any cost savings we discussed that could come up with $6.6 million,” she said.

But there is less than two months remaining to pare the budget down to $89.2 million. This is what Finance Director Pete Landrum forecasts the county’s revenues will be after investments and sales tax are battered by recession.

And the elected official with the largest single budget is defiant.

Sheriff Richard K. Jones cut $296,940 from his office, which brings his submitted budget to $23.5 million, not including the jails, which he says operate at a profit.

But this falls far short of the $2.5 million cut the commissioners office had asked of him. He refused, citing public safety concerns.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.

By the numbers

2009 county budget: $89 million

Commission proposed 2010 county budget: $82.6 million

Department submitted 2010 county budget: $87.9 million

Reductions: $3.6 million

Increases: $2.3 million

Left to cut: $5.3 million

Source: Butler County Office of Budget and Management

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No department is immune from cuts. Gee a deputy must work harder - why should I feel sorry for them? I bet if he / she quit there would be dozens of applicants for their job. If the Sheriff can't make cuts & adequately protect the citizens of the county, perhaps he should step aside so someone else may step up and get the job done. The first step to cutting the budget - substantially reduce everyone's benefits & join the public sector which pays more each year for less.

Bill
3:57 PM, 11/6/2009

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What about the Juvenile Court and Detention center. While other County offices are getting their yearly raises, and/or step increases, The Detention staff, court personel, probation ect.. have only had layoffs, cut hours, and have had a pay freeze for well over 2 years.
The Juvenile Court has employees so scared about loosing there jobs if mention of forming a union is ever brought up. Yet they need to get food stamps and medicaid to help them live -- what wrong with that picture ?

Madman
1:43 PM, 11/6/2009

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Worried about illegals...ask far right GOP Congressman Boehner about his voting record on immigration issues over his career. Why do you think Sheriff Jones wanted to run against him?

greatly concerned
1:42 PM, 11/6/2009

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what we need is 47 million more illegal mexicans then every thing will be alright .

gary
1:15 PM, 11/6/2009

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Where did the money for the communications go? It went for salaries for people hired by the sheriff.

Steve
12:50 PM, 11/6/2009

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