CPA Opinion- Measure 24-292 Will Affect You

County Charter Will Divert Scarce Tax Dollars From Services to Administration

Marion County currently targets 65% of its general fund operating budget on public safety. This includes the county jail, enforcement, prevention, prosecution, justice courts, and juvenile services.

Measure 24-292 will add two new county commissioners to the existing three-person board. While proponents assert that the charter is cost neutral, none of their suggested budget reductions is required by the charter itself. In fact, proponents have offered three separate spending plans in a futile attempt to cover the costs of this expensive scheme.

The proponents point to Lane County as a model for Marion County government and offer one slice of information out of context to support their idea for cutting board staff. In actuality, the Lane County Commissioners’ administrative office has budgeted 21.3 full-time equivalent positions in 2009, compared with 14 positions in the Marion County Board of Commissioners Office.

Because of declining revenues, Marion County cut its budget in 2009 by more than 30 positions. Fifteen of those positions were in the Sheriff’s Office.

So ask yourself, would you rather pay for two new commissioners? Or restore needed jail space?

In the current economic times it seems as though additional county administration may not be the highest and best use of limited dollars, especially if it is at the expense of services that protect public health and safety.