By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LEBANON - After Warren County Commissioner Mike Kilburn objected to state funding for social programs such as welfare-to-work Tuesday, calling them "crap," the commission decided to evaluate all social programs in the county.

The move is to make sure services aren't duplicated and tax dollars aren't wasted as local governments face cutbacks in light of a state budget shortfall, commissioners said.

"We need to get on board and say, `Look, we're not doing this crap,'" Mr. Kilburn said.

His outburst came Tuesday when commissioners were asked to approve a purchase change order for $356,867 for the Help Me Grow program.

Help Me Grow assists 238 disabled babies and children and is supported by state and federal funds specifically earmarked for the program, county officials said.

It is operated by Warren County Community Services, a large, nonprofit agency that receives state, federal and local funds for about 30 programs for seniors, children and housing.

"I will not sign this. If I get a second vote, I will rip it up," Mr. Kilburn said, referring to the program's purchase change order.

"I am just disgusted. We have a broke state, and yet we keep approving these fatherhood programs and Help Me Grow. It's an abomination of the taxpayers' money. It makes me want to puke."

But Commissioners Larry Crisenbery and Pat South approved the purchase order, noting it was for the second half of the program's fiscal year.

"I am not going to shut a program down mid-year," Ms. South informed Mr. Kilburn.

Ms. South objected to Mr. Kilburn's stance against social programs, saying many of them promote workforce development.

She also suggested the county evaluate all social programs, then decide what should be cut, not just "arbitrarily" halt them.

Mr. Crisenbery warned he would not approve future purchase orders for the program.

Mr. Kilburn, a longtime critic of social programs, insisted he was not attacking funding for Help Me Grow because his opponent in last year's county commission race, Carolyn Tepe, is the program's director.

But Ms. Tepe scoffed at that Tuesday, saying she "definitely" thinks his actions are retaliatory.

"Part of our money is federal money, so I guess we will tell the feds that children who live in Warren County aren't a priority when they have a disability," she said. "Mr. Kilburn needs to take more time to learn about the programs in Warren County and the programs in the state before he deems them crap."

In other business Tuesday, Jim LeFevers, treasurer of the Investment Advisory Board, said less money would go in the general fund this year from interest off the county's investments.

As of the end of December, the county had $94.3 million in total investments. The interest off that figure that went into the general fund from 2002 was $4.9 million, he said.

He cautioned that he is anticipating $3.8 million for 2003. In 2001, the general fund received almost $7 million in interest, he said.

"I used to walk in here with a pretty big feeling with the numbers I had ... but I don't feel so good anymore," Mr. LeFevers said.