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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
November 10, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 10, 2011
 
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County elected officials stand up to crippling budget cuts By NATALIE JOHNSON Mason County elected officials are speaking out after the county commission directed them to cut a further 8.5 percent from their pre- liminary budgets last Monday, Oct. 31. The commission asked that the officials turn in the alternate bud- gets by Tuesday, Nov. 7. At Tuesday's meeting, Sheriff Casey Salisbury presented a letter in reply, signed by ten department heads and elected officials in Ma- son County. The letter indicated that the ten officials would be "un- willing" to draft budgets with the proposed cuts. "The letter that I'm about to read is representing a number of the citizens in the room as well as the elected officials who signed," Salisbury said. Salisbury signed the letter, along with County Assessor Mel- ody Peterson, Prosecutor Mike Dorcy, Clerk Pat Swartos, District Court Judge Victoria Meadows, Auditor Karen Herr, Coroner Wes Stockwell, Treasurer Lisa Frazier, Judge Amber Finlay and Judge Toni Sheldon. "Given the speculative, complex and evolving state budget process, we do not believe it is responsible to significantly cut the budgets of elected offices legally mandated to provide services on an across the board basis," the letter states. '~Ve are therefore unwilling to comply with the board's October 31, 2011 request.., in that we do not believe it is responsible to the priorities of local government and to the con- stituents that our respective offices are legally mandated to serve." All three county commissioners responded, saying that the cuts are necessary in preparation for up to $2 million in possible cuts originat- ing at the state level. "We're in a time of unprecedent- ed economic uncertainty," commis- sioner Tim Sheldon said. Sheldon, who is also a state sen- ator in the 35th legislative district, said many departments at the state level have been told to prepare for 10 percent cuts in an effort to save an additional $1.4 million. "I hope we can all work together for resolution," Sheldon said to the county officials at Tuesday's meet- ing. "There really is an economic Journa DnOIO Dy Natalie Johnson Mason County Sheriff Casey Salisbury reads a letter for county commissioners Tuesday morning that he and nine other elected officials and department heads wrote speaking out against further budget cuts to mandated services. downturn going on ... It's a tried and true expression, you have to plan for the worst and hope for the best." Salisbury spoke for the other of- ficials who signed the letter to the county, arguing against further cuts. "The elected officials I think find that there are some discrepancies in the budget as we see them," he said. Salisbury said that in a meeting with Gov. Chris Gregiore last Fri- cuts," he said. tial se~ces. She also questioned "We could call each other on Commissioner Lynda Ring Er- the commissioners' decision to ask technicalities all day long, we still ickson said many counties are in a for further cuts while in a budget have to have a budget at the end of much worse financial position than workshop, rather than a regular the year," Sheldon said. Mason County. county commission meeting. McGee also pointed out that be- "I've always respected you as "This is a decision that was made cause department heads planned thoughtful professionals," she October 31, Monday," McGee said. for their 2012 budgets to not ex- said. "I don't think anyone sitting "I think you're leading citizens ceed their 2011 budgets, they have at this table is responsible for the astray when you make decisions already taken a cut for the coming world economic crisis.., but we are in workshops. To me it's violating year. responsible if a year from now we the Open Meeting Act because it's "With inflation they have al- aren't able to make payroll." making a decision in a workshop ready taken a cut," she said. With an expected carryover of and you have said before you don't The commissioners voiced their more than $5 million dollars at the make decisions in workshops." continued support of the alternate The commissioners disagreed budget with 8.5 percent cuts. with the statement, saying that "Under state law we can't pass a workshops are public meetings, budget that we don't think will be and no vote was taken, funded," Ring Erickson said. day, he asked what she thought of end of 2012, some citizens, like for- the 8.5 percent cut. mer county commissioner Annette "She thought it might be a little M.cGee expressed concern over presumptive to us to make those c~nmittingto deeper cuts to essen- Shelton-Mason County Journal-Thursday, November 10, 2011 - Page A-3