Commissioners Outline Broad Cuts to County Budgets

The Marion County Commissioners last week outlined in broad terms the cuts that departments can expect over the next two years. Instead of cutting across the board, the commissioners told department heads they were proposing a smaller cut to the sheriff’s office and the multi-county correctional center. That smaller cut will be made up by the remaining departments.

The three commissioners stressed that the proposal was a preliminary budget and that they wanted to get feedback from the individual departments before making a final decision.

State tax rules say that the county will receive the sales tax increase through March 2012. This is in spite of the overwhelming defeat of the issue in the General Election. This means the county will receive about $1.6 million dollars which they say will help blunt, but in no way eliminate, the expected cuts.

The commissioners said they could have made a smaller cut for 2012 and a larger cut in 2013, but instead chose to spread the cuts over the two year span.

The plan calls for a 10 percent cut for the sheriff’s office and multi-county correctional center. All other departments, including the courts, would see a cut of 15.5 percent. These cuts would take place in both 2012 and 2013.

Dale Osborn, director of the jail, said the outlined cuts would require him to lay off 10 employees and reduce the beds allocated to Marion County from 146 to 115.

“As it looks now, we will be walking felons out the front door,” stated Osborn, mentioning they would be low-level felons, but felons all the same.

There was not much more discussion on the cuts during the department head meeting, but several people spoke on the county budget during the regular commissioners meeting that took place prior.

Jim Gilsdorf, who was recently defeated in his bid to become mayor of Marion, outlined a list of reasons he believes voters were against the increased sales tax. That list included: little information presented to the public early on; a fear that judges would take the extra funds; unneeded helicopters at the sheriff’s office; and a lack of cuts in the sheriff’s office administration.

Resident Joseph Scott said he believes that if the commissioners continue to ignore the will of the people violence will erupt. He stated he was not making a threat, but said if the commissions don’t listen, tragic things are going to happen as they have in Syria, Libya, and other areas of the world.

Rosa LeMaster told the commissioners that taxpayers cannot continue to pay the salaries at the sheriff’s office. She said the employees have an opportunity to give back salaries and benefits to avoid layoffs.

Commissioner Dan Russell told LeMaster that sheriff’s office employees have made concessions including wage freezes, furlough days, and more. LeMaster stated that it wasn’t enough.

The department heads will meet with the commissioners again on Wednesday, November 23, at 8:00am. The meeting is open to the public.