By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Fox

Rogers

HAMILTON - Before slashing $400,000 from Butler County's general-fund budget, county commissioners will give office-holders and department heads a chance to decide where to make the cuts.

Those who don't submit budget recommendations by May 15 will have almost every line item in their budgets reduced by a uniform amount.

The commissioners will make the cuts May 16. The $400,000 cut amounts to less than a 1 percent general-fund reduction.

Commissioners are taking the action in anticipation of state funding cuts.

Commissioner Mike Fox warned that this probably wouldn't be the last time this year the county has to reduce its budget.

"We're going to have to suck it up more," he said.

County officials are worried that the state will make further funding reductions to counties when it finalizes its budget within the next two months.

"The question is, 'How bad will it be?'" Fox said.

Commissioners are considering raising the sales tax to offset state cutbacks. But they won't make that decision until the state budget receives final approval.

"These are not going to be easy things to do," Fox said. "As we make deeper cuts, it will affect the level of services. People will notice."

Auditor Kay Rogers said she's considering closing her office every other Friday to reduce salary expenses.

The commissioners had angered office-holders and department heads this week by criticizing them for not submitting contingency budgets in response to County Administrator Derek Conklin's written request.

But the commissioners apologized when they realized that Conklin's letter never specifically asked them to submit contingency budgets.

Fox, however, said he thought office-holders overreacted to the commissioners' criticism.

"I'm amazed at how people take things so personally," he said.

Prosecutor Robin Piper said office-holders didn't want their reputations unfairly tarnished.

"The office-holders were somewhat offended by the blatant misrepresentation to the public that we weren't concerned with the budget and willing to make cuts in our budgets," he said.

Commissioner Courtney Combs said he believes everyone will put the controversy behind them and work together.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com