2009 Budget Amendment

December 22, 2008

MOTION To amend the 2009 County Budget I move that the 2009 Hamilton County Budget be amended to reflect the following: 1. Reduce Commission Staff - $173,107.00. The Commission offices have been largely immune from budget cuts. At this time of severe economic stress, Commissioners’ staffs should be reduced to fully share in the hardships facing the County. Furthermore, this spending reduction meets the Board’s goal of creating a structurally sound budget because it is an ongoing cost reduction. 2. Eliminate funding for HIP - $27,238.00. With interest rates at historic lows, it makes little sense for the County to be in the banking business. While interest losses are currently minimal, as rates increase future County interest earnings will be realized. In addition, in spite of increased efforts to promote the H.I.P. program only 2,061 loans have been closed since the programs inception in 2002. Furthermore, no information exists showing any improvements made through the program would not have been made otherwise. 3. Reduce Greater Cincinnati Regional Partnership funding - $50,000.00. Maintaining public safety services is the most important step the County can take to protect its economic vitality. This is an additional $25,000.00 cut to the reduction in the Portune/Pepper “consensus” budget motion. 4. Eliminate funding for County lobbyist - $30,000.00. The County must cut nonmandated spending to outside entities wherever possible. 5. Eliminate 6th Floor Administration receptionist position - $38,151.00. The workload from this position can be spread among Administrative and Commissioners’ support staff. 6. Cut HCDC 50% - $289,000.00. The County’s general fund subsidy goes towards funding the operations of the Economic Development Department. The Business Incubator and loan programs are funded through other sources. While HCDC

provides a good service to the County, maintaining and improving public safety services is the most important thing we can do to protect our economic vitality. 7. Reduce funding for Building Department - $100,000.00. This additional reduction is made possible due to the decreased workload at the Building Department, resulting from the current economic downturn. Additionally, the independence of the Rural Zoning Board of Appeals should be maintained through 2009. 8. Reduce funding for Regional Planning - $100,000.00. Reduction should be focused on non-mandated services provided by Regional Planning. Total Additional Reduction - $782,496.00 9. Creation of $1,450,718.00 Restricted Public Safety Fund – The additional money realized in the approved budget ($668,222.00), and the $782,496.00 resulting from the cuts identified in this document should be placed in a separate restricted fund and should be directed towards enhancing public safety, and specifically dealing with the County’s jail space issues. The below options create the equivalent of an additional 63,000 bed nights a year. Permissible uses include: - Out of state inmate housing: The addition of 14,600 bed nights in Campbell County. ($600,000.00 annually) - Additional electronic monitoring capacity: 100 units and additional staff. ($400,000.00 annually) - End the practice of housing federal prisoners: We have a responsibility to make available all of our beds to County inmates first. On average over the past three years 35 federal prisoners per day are housed in Hamilton County correctional facilities. By ending the practice of housing these federal prisoners an additional 12,775 bed days could be created per year. (approximately $500,000.00 annually)

_______________________________ Pat DeWine

Statement In these difficult economic times, the Board of County Commissioners must make tough decisions. As public safety is our stated number one priority, it is incumbent upon on us to use every measure at our discretion fund corrections and community justice measures to the fullest extent possible. The funds realized through the addition of the above budget cuts will create the equivalent of 63,000 jail bed nights.