51 positions were placed on the chopping block
SAGINAW -- “I’m very pleased with the commissioners who supported us,” said Saginaw County Sheriff Bill Federspiel, moments after county leaders passed a budget protecting 51 jobs by transferring more than $ 3 million from other funds into job saving measures.
About 44 of those positions were linked to law enforcement, including 15 deputies that work for Federspiel.
“I’ve got so many deputies that have young families and young kids at home; newly married. Some have been with us for a few years and some that would have been cut have been here for 7 and 8 years. It’s very real to them; very stressful,” he said.
Other cuts would have been made to Prosecutor Mike Thomas’ office, and animal control. The reductions would have helped trim a $6.6 million deficit in the next fiscal year’s budget which starts on October 1.
For his part, Thomas joined with several county judges in addressing commissioners before the vote, saying crime rates have dropped because of coordinated efforts between his office, the sheriff’s department, and county jail operations.
Thomas said Saginaw city saw only three murders so far this year, with four taking place in the rest of the county. “That could have been potentially devastating,” he said, if the cuts were made.
Only three commissioners voted against the budget. Meanwhile, county leaders say they will work on a proposal to go to voters in May of 2011, requesting between 1.25 and 1.5 mills for additional public safety funding measures.
*click on the video link to hear from commissioners who voted for and against the budget.
