Washington County to cut $3.2 million in expenses

In a reflection of hard times, Washington County plans to cut $3.2 million in expenses to compensate for expected losses in state aid and declines in other revenue, such as fees paid at county offices.

That's about 2 percent of what the county had planned to spend this year.

The biggest cuts will come in staffing. The county will erase the equivalent of 20 full-time county jobs, 18 of them already vacant, to save $1.4 million in wages and benefits. And in anticipation of worse financial news this summer, commissioners will consider expanding a voluntary furlough program where employees can apply to take 120 hours of leave without pay.

Commissioners agreed Tuesday to move forward with most of the proposed cuts but later will reckon with other proposals, such as amending contracts with consultants, service providers and others that do business with county departments. Cuts beyond the $3.2 million might be necessary once the Legislature finishes with Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget proposal, said Administrator Jim Schug.

"We think this is a responsible level of cuts at this point," Schug told commissioners at a board workshop. "This is a difficult decision, because while there's been a governor's budget proposed it's still in its infancy in the Legislature."

Washington County's budget analysts project that state aid and revenue losses this year, added to losses in state aid at the end of 2008, will range from $3.2 million to $4.1 million. The budget picture for 2010 looks even more daunting, with revenue reductions estimated at $3.3 million to $4.4 million.

Expense cuts this year will include training, public surveys and computers. The county also will end its funding for the Minnesota Extension program, reduce information available on library programs and delay a park vegetation project. Three court security jobs planned for the opening of the county's remodeled and expanded courthouse later this year will be scrapped. About $580,000 in cuts will come in the Sheriff's Office, which will wait on buying two unmarked squad cars, cut one position in the patrol unit and three in other departments, and eliminate the Citizen's Academy and a K9 unit.

Sheriff Bill Hutton cautioned commissioners that the patrol reduction might result in increased overtime costs to cover shifts.

Commissioner Bill Pulkrabek, a proponent of slimmer government, called the Tuesday's cuts "bittersweet" because he said they take a toll on county employees and the residents they serve. But he also thinks that the public expects government to share economic pain by cutting back.

Tuesday's cuts represent the county's second significant budget reduction in about two months. Commissioners in December approved a 2009 budget of $171 million, nearly $19 million less than in 2008.

"I'm glad there's really no finger pointing or crying going on that you see with other public entities," Pulkrabek said of Tuesday's budget presentation, in which all commissioners seemed to support the cuts.

Kevin Giles • 612-673-4432