During its Wednesday County Commission meeting, Commissioners suggested to the County's elected officials that they will have take a good hard look at their offices' budgets to make cuts in light of the looming $800,000.00 to $1.1 million expected County budget deficit for the next fiscal year.In the past, Commissioners suggested that in order to balance the County's budget, work hours of the employees will be cut, resulting in salary reductions. Four day work weeks for County employees was one idea discussed. The Courthouse would remain open five days per week, but employees' schedules would be staggered to reduce one day per week per employee. The net effect would be a 20% reduction in salary for the affected employees.
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Unlike the Federal Government which just prints more money rather than solve the federal budget deficit, Webster County Commissioners will be making hard decisions about what to cut to balance the County's budget. |
At the Wednesday meeting, Commissioners asked the County's elected officials to examine their individual office's budgets to look for more ways to cut expenses. The Commission took no official action on the budget, but they will meet in special session on March 16, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the County's budget. In light of the size of the County's budget deficit, "everything is on the table" when it comes to cutting expenses. Whether the Commissioners will enact benefit reductions and/or employee hour cutbacks is not guaranteed. But considering that 64% of the $1.192 million dollar spending increase over the past four years comes from employee related expenses, the Commissioners will likely have no choice but to make these types of cutbacks.
My opinion every elected offical county, state, and expecally federal governments should get a pay cut of about 8 percent and the higher up in government the more percentage they should cut. I believe that would be a great start at fixing the deficits. (President Clinton) cut his pay in half when he started fixing the deficit when he first went into office if a man can do that to fix the us deficit (and it worked) what has all these people habe to do is not be so greedy and say ok and get their priorties straight and fix whats broken. But i can say im sure it would be hard to cit your own paycheck but there are things in life we all have to do even if we dont like it. What needs done needs to be done its time they all step up to the plate and take ahold of their responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteWill the County Commissioners themselves reduce their own pay/hours and/or insurance benefits?
ReplyDelete800,000 to 1.1 mil. deficit, sounds like the jail bill minus a few employees and the budget will be balanced. Get rid of the asst. prosecutor, a couple of secretaries that sit around doing nothing all day. And dont pay the jail bill. That should clear it up....
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