“We are trying to not go too far into reserves. We are looking at all departments for more cuts,” Sheree Sample-Hughes, the council vice president, said Thursday.
This week the council held a brainstorming session on additional spending cuts the county could make. Before them is a bill by County Executive Richard M. Pollitt Jr. that would address a more than $6 million gap in the budget. He has pinned the shortfall on unexpected Maryland funding cuts and a drop in income tax revenues.
Pollitt’s bill would mainly lower expenses by cutting departments by 15 percent. It would largely raise revenues by drawing down reserve funds that will later need to be replenished.
The approach isn’t good enough, said Councilman Joe Holloway, who hasn’t forgotten how the existing budget was balanced. The county elected then to defer retirement payments, dip into reserves and borrow $1 million from the Solid Waste Enterprise account.
“The county government has dragged its feet too long,” Holloway said. “What are we going to do next year, when indications are that it’s going to be worse?”
This week the council identified several spending reduction suggestions in a meeting. Now, Council Administrator Matt Creamer is putting them into a formal list and will seek the help of the Executive’s Office to put a dollar amount on them.
“I invited them to make some suggestions. I’ll be delighted to hear their thoughts,” Pollitt said Thursday.
Many of the spending cuts, if undertaken, might result in layoffs — something the county has been able to avoid this point. County workers did not receive pay raises this year and will have to take furlough days.
Among the suggestions: How much would the county save if employees were no longer given their birthday off with pay? What would the savings be if the position of public information officer, now held by Jim Fineran, would be eliminated? Furthermore, the council is interested in reviewing the staffing levels among the building inspections staff and the State’s Attorney’s Office.
“It’s a touchy situation because you’re talking about personnel,” Holloway said. “We’ve done everything else. We’re pulled from reserves. We’ve pulled back services.”
Pollitt said he wasn’t able to respond to many of the council’s suggestions, as he hasn’t yet received them. However, he cautioned against the pitfall of looking “at the cost of everything and the value of nothing.” For example, he highlighted the importance of the public information officer position at a time when the county is faced with many challenges.
“Of all times, this is the time when you need a clear channel of information from the county to the public,” Pollitt said.
As the council and executive continue to work on the budget, the county is approaching the halfway point of its financial calendar. In April, deliberations will begin for next year’s budget.
Pollitt said he knows next year’s budget will likely be worse than the current one. His goal has been to put off the “drama” and keep services intact.
“Do you want to start the pain now or spread it out?” he said.
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