Video: Jeff. Co. Sherriff’s Office says no to cuts

JEFFERSON CO., Ala—The Jefferson County sheriff’s office says it will not make any more cuts to their departments.  The announcement comes just one day after Jefferson County Commission President Bettye Fine Collins issued a memorandum requesting that all department heads submit a plan outlining a 33% cut to their budget.  The request was prompted after House members of the Alabama State Legislature failed to pass a new Occupational Tax Bill.
Early this year, Jefferson County Commission publically voiced that if the new bill failed, the county would possibly lay off 1,200 employees, trim county services and request 33% department budget cuts across the board. Earlier this year Commissioners asked departments to trim budget by 10% and all departments submitted plans indicating the 10% cuts or less.

“We’ve been cut severely over the last two years and we are bare bones as it is and we are struggling to provide the service we have been able to provide over the last years. If you are asking me if we plan to submit something to the county by June 1st regarding a 33% cut, we are not,” Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office Spokesman Lt. Randy Christian said.

Christian told NBC 13 HD News that an Alabama Law mandates that Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office maintain adequate staff and resources in order to provide protection and service to the county and it’s citizens. Christian maintains that a 33% percent cut will jeopardize the Sherriff’s ability to uphold the law and will force the agency to violate the statute if cuts are implemented.

On the other side of the issue, Commission President Bettye Fine Collins asserts that the County must adhere to an Alabama law that mandates that Jefferson County maintain a balanced general obligation fund budget. Fine Collins says the County must make cuts to comply with the law.
Collins’ memorandum stated that all County department heads have until June 1st to submit a plan showing budget cuts.

“It’s up to the department, that is the rule so, they can come up with their own plan but they have to come up with a third of their budget to be removed, we have to do this,” Jefferson County Commission President Bettye Fine Collins said.

On the topic of job cuts, at Tuesday’s Commission meeting Commissioner Shelia Smoot suggested an alternative plan in effort of curtailing layoffs of county jobs.

To view Commissioner Smoot’s plan, please access the URL link below.
http://static.mgnetwork.com/vtm/content/news/JeffcoCommissionerSmootsEmployeeFurloughRecommendation.pdf

To view Commissioner Bettye Fine Collin’s Contingency plan memorandum to balance the FY 2009 County Budget please access the URL link below.
http://static.mgnetwork.com/vtm/content/news/MemoreContinencyPlanFY09budget.pdf