RSSBudget proposal calls for 26 county job cuts
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- A total of 26 current Yakima County employees will lose their jobs under a proposed final 2010 county budget that is burdened by rising expenses and falling revenue.
Another 10 vacant positions are being wiped off the board as well to balance the county's proposed $51.7 million spending plan.
The cuts mean fewer juvenile offenders can be locked up, fewer prosecutors, and less service from administrative offices like the treasurer, assessor and auditor.
The job losses are less than the estimates discussed last month, when commissioners raised the possiblity of cutting 45 to 60 positions. But the numbers will still amount to the largest layoff in history.
During a budget hearing Tuesday, commissioners signaled a desire for significant concessions from county labor unions next year to avoid similar layoffs in future years.
Labor negotiations are expected to include the county's request to reduce courthouse hours to four days per week and unpaid furloughs for employees.
"We will work with our labor partners to reconcile negotiations to our budget realities," Commissioner Mike Leita said. "If we fail, we will continue to see this scenario play out in future years."
The county has close to 1,100 employees and is the third largest employer in Yakima County, behind Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital and Walmart.
The budget cuts are in response to rising expenses and declining sales tax and investment earnings during the economic downturn.
Spending next year will decline from the current $53.5 million for day-to-day county operations to $51.7 million next year, a more than 3 percent reduction.
At the same time, revenues are expected to decline from $52.4 million to $51.7 million next year.
The current year budget includes use of some reserve funds, but commissioners have committed not to raid the more than $5 million reserve next year.
When revenues generated by solid waste fees, the three-tenths criminal justice sales tax, county roads and other funds are included, total county spending next year will be more than $231 million. These "enterprise funds" are for specific purposes and can't be used to fund daily operations.
The 26 county employees will be laid off by the end of the year.
Harold Delia, administrative consultant to county courts, said he will close one juvenile detention pod, resulting in the loss of six staffers in juvenile. The cut means 42 juvenile beds will be open next year. Currently, 56 beds are in use.
Of the 42 beds, 28 beds are financed by the three-tenths sales tax while 14 bed are funded by the general fund.
Beginning next year, Delia said the Juvenile Justice Center will no longer accept juveniles brought in on graffiti offenses, eluding or car theft.
He said he would probably temporarily use overtime to hold juvenile offenders who are arrested for serious cases in those three categories.
Overall, the courts will lose 10.5 positions. Among them are a part-time court commissioner, a drug court coordinator, and two office specialists in Superior and District courts.
County Prosecutor Jim Hagarty, meanwhile, will lose three deputy prosecutors and two people in support enforcement.
Assessor Dave Cook said he will lose three people out of his 28-member staff.
"The worst part is it is going to affect services," Cook said. "It makes it tough to deal with, but we are all in the same position."
Sheriff Ken Irwin won't lose people but will lose seven vacant positions. Among those positions are three deputy retirements and the transfer of Chief Criminal Deputy Ed Campbell to the Department of Corrections. His position will not be filled.
The county is looking for a way to keep Eschbach Park open, perhaps by transferring the South Naches Road park to a nonprofit group or finding some revenue source outside the general fund.
A second budget hearing will be conducted Thursday at 7 p.m. at Yakima City Hall, leading to final adoption of the 2010 spending plan on Monday .
* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.
"The cuts mean fewer juvenile offenders can be locked up, fewer prosecutors, and less service from administrative offices like the treasurer, assessor and auditor."
WAIT A MINUTE!!! We just approved their badly wanted new tax, with the promise that it would fund EXTRAS law and justice positions. THEY HAVE DONE IT TO US AGAIN!! (Yes, I'm yelling mad).
"We will work with our labor partners to reconcile negotiations to our budget realities,"..."
How about we just do away with the public service unions anyway? Better yet, how about the Commissioners taking a PAY CUT? They make WAY too much as it is. The GD politicians have lied to us once more! VOTE 'EM ALL OUT AND START OVER!
Agreed Nick, welcome to the rough and tumble world of politicians, aka no trust lackys. Of course the expalination is that without the tax passing the cuts would have been greater. Yea, right.
How many supervisor personnel are being cut from the administrative functions, or trash collection or building maintenance or other not places not related to public security? It's just like the schools do, cut the most visible and needed so we can ram something past them later. The pols wouldn't know what to do without a defeat once in a while.
Actually, Nick, the 3/10ths for Justice was not a new tax, but a continuation of an existing tax.
And its supporters were always clear about the fact that maintaining the tax would merely avoid future cuts. Its supporters also clearly stated that there would be cuts whether or not 3/10ths passed due to economic conditions.
It is too bad that with this law and justice tax there wasn't a part in there that all county personal take a 10% salary cut. This way not so many people would be cut. I would think that county employees would have some backbone and love for their fellow workers whereas they would take a cut and keep many of these employees being cut employeed!
Report ViolationAll For One, And One For All!!!!!
Except where the fine print says that the working person will be cut but the high priced (dare I say it) talent goes untouched. Oh yea, they will suffer also, their kingdom is going to be a bit smaller.
Yakiman - "And its supporters were always clear about the fact that maintaining the tax would merely avoid future cuts."
My point exactly. Now we have them before the election is even certified.
Pay cuts for all supervisors and especially, the commissioners. I have a notion to run next election on the promise that I will do the job for free!
Nick---be sure to have your chocolate shoes on when you stick your foot in your mouth
Report ViolationOn that platform, I'd cast a vote, heck fire I'd cast more than one vote. All's fair in big city politics.
Report ViolationJuvenile Justice: When the (back then) new Juvenile Detention Center was built, it replaced a facility with a capacity of about 40 inmates. The old facility was holding upward of 90-100 kids at the time, and the argument was that we needed a new facility to increase capacity (to drive down crime).
Now, the new facility is holding less than half the number of the inmates of yore, despite being built to hold 100 .
Am I missing something?? Now, a juvenile has to commit murder or worse to do any time, and the kids all know that. There are no teeth in our laws when there is no fear of punishment. Juvenile "justice" is a joke in Yakima County.
The number one job of government is to protect its citizens.You have eleven hundred employees and you have to cut 26 positions.So how is it that 21.5 of the 26 cuts come from the criminal justice system.
Report ViolationYou know Nick and huh, there wouldn't be so many people to lock up if you and Nick weren't out promoting illegal youth centers smack in the middle of pedophile houses, even though kind hearted Nick says he's got mothers begging him for them. But it seems like nothing can make you to see the connection. You see nothing wrong with a three year old walking home at 10:00 at night and every third house has a pedophile in it. Of course while these mothers are crying at Nick's smelly feet I'm sure he's also telling them how their three year old will be completely safe. Anyone that does not think that something like this happens, I can assure you that in the world of illegal youth centers, it happens all the time. Why is Nick in a position to have women asking for things anyway?
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