Answer: Not enough.
About two thirds (about $72 million) of your $110 million county government budget is used for justice services. Property taxes pays about $59 million of it. The remaining shortfall is covered from state revenues and other sources.
The other day a townhall was held with Clerk Locke, Prosecuting Attorney Mortenson, Sheriff Norris and myself. Never before have county elected officials been so brutally honest about the challenges of keeping this community safe. In this video presentation, you will see:
The single biggest factor behind your county government’s excessive growth
Why the Prosecutor sometimes has to wait one (even two) years before he pulls the trigger to prosecute a criminal
The two major reasons why our jail has exceeded its legal inmate population limit every day for the last two years
How the County Clerk plays the lynchpin role making sure the County doesn’t overspend your tax dollars and keep your elections safe
The biggest challenge facing every elected official and why it could lead to criminals avoiding prosecution.
But that’s not all. You will also see:
How property tax revenues (despite the current levy rate) still don’t cover the cost of county justice services. Where the County gets revenue to cover that shortfall.
The shocking increase of FY23 expenditures into FY24 (hint: elected officials went into overdrive to keep it manageable)
and more.
The people who attended said that this town hall was informative and provided a revealing look inside county government. Enjoy and please share with friends and family.
NOTE: Strangely, our local paper has remained silent about this town hall event. I wonder why.
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