Josephine County
State
of the Sheriff's Department
By Gil Gilbertson
We have all been
waiting with anticipation for someone from the State level to provide
us with an opinion or some clarification of what to expect with our
foreseeable future. Reportedly, nine of our thirty-six Counties are
in serious trouble.
The loss of the federal subsidy (frequently referred to as the O&C) is having a devastating impact on the many of us that have become dependant upon those resources. Our federal government has now terminated their commitment in continued funding; causing a sincere hardship on many aspects of our lives, including public safety.
Josephine County is at the very top of that list. It should not come as a surprise to anyone however. Although we enjoy the lowest tax rates in the State, there is a downside; and we are now facing that reality. Albeit there are many other dimensions to this dilemma, we are concerned with our public safety and the quality of life we all deserve.
This administration is committed to cutting as close-to-the-bone as possible to stretch out our funding to provide you the best service possible. We recently turned in eleven vehicles, some Deputies are now sharing a vehicle to save on gas; our volunteers on patrol have been put on hold; we are looking into different uniforms for jail personnel which could save us over $100.00 per uniform; we've recently relocated our sub-station in Cave Junction to save over $7,300.00 per year; we continue to aggressively seek out grants and other funding sources – we have even approached private industry to seek funds; we have relocated our jail personnel to a more confined area to enhance their productivity, without loss of safety – evidenced by our ability to book more inmates last year; we assumed our own dispatch center at a savings of approximately $130,000.00; to control our overtime and provide some level of safety to our Deputies we operate one shift per day.
We cannot answer for what other administrators may or may not have done. Finger pointing does little to solve any problem. We believe in dealing with what we have in front of us, plan for the future….and move forward! Today, we have become a very transparent organization, embracing public scrutiny (i.e., the establishment of the Citizens Sheriff Advisory Committee). We are dedicated to our goals, ideals, objectives, and performance – which revolve around you and our community. We are asking that you also look to our future.
“Earning” your trust was one of the compelling forces driving the changes in this administration. We will continue to strive towards that goal.
The following information comes from the Governor's Task Force on Federal Forest Payments and County Services – titled “Initial Report”. In part, the reason for sharing this report with you is so that you understand we have not been crying “wolf”. The problem is real and affects more than just this County. It is time to stop lamenting about the past and work together for our future.
Respectfully,
Gil Gilbertson
The Governor's Task Force on Federal Forest Payments and County Services - Initial Report:
· The imminent loss of federal forest payments…will create a fiscal crisis for the majority of Oregon's counties far worse and longer lasting than the crisis experienced by state government during the recession of 2001-03.
· Even with the best efforts of county governments and the state, there is no single solution that will allow the crisis to be successfully managed or resolved in the short term.
· The crisis confronting the hard-hit counties and the erosion of funding for schools will trigger new demands for shared resources from state government and state taxpayers. Competition for shares of the state budget will intensify.
· We found that many counties have already cut services to bare-bones levels.
· We advise the affected counties and the state to prepare for the worst.
· Oregon should respond…with an “all hands on deck” effort by all levels of government, including state supervision and management of insolvent counties.
· Even if all our recommendations were accepted and implemented, we find that they would make up less than half of the revenues lost from the expiration of (federal timber) payments.
· There is no immediate solution to the problems created by the loss of (federal timber) payments. Multiple responses will be needed from all levels of government – county, state, and federal.
•
Josephine
-67% -$12.4 Million
• Douglas
-65% -$23.3 Million
• Curry
-60% -$ 3.7 Million
• Lane
-50% -$17.6 Million
• Jackson
-32% -$14.9 Million
• Grant
-27% -$ 0.6 Million
• Klamath
-25% -$ 3.1 Million
• Columbia
-23% -$ 1.9 Million
• Polk
-19% -$ 2.1 Million
· Nine counties will face revenue losses of 20% or more of their discretionary funds. A tenth county, Polk, is right at the edge of this cutoff. The “hard hit” counties, in order of greatest initial General Fund revenue impact, are:
• Standing pat and waiting for economic recovery to provide additional revenues is not an option.
• The financial ability of the state to respond (to the recommendations contained in this initial report) is of great concern.
• In addition to the less quantifiable risk to community safety and beyond, courts, public defenders, district attorneys, and community corrections will experience the systemic impacts of budget reductions.
• Decreased assets by county sheriffs will translate into fewer cases ready for prosecution. Also, staff limitations at district attorney offices may cause fewer cases to be prosecuted. These impacts will reduce the flow of cases to circuit courts and could lower state funding for county jails and community corrections services under current state funding formulas.
• Further, because funding is often based on the volume of cases moving through the system, courts, public defenders, district attorneys, and community corrections may experience additional funding cuts from other sources.
• Additionally, district attorneys with limited funds will likely target their scarce resources on high-priority crimes and may decline to prosecute nonviolent property crimes, minor drug crimes, and misdemeanors. Counties with severely compromised budgets may discontinue their drug courts because of personnel shortages, and as a result may forego state funding earmarked for drug courts.
• Finally, courthouses in counties unable to make capital investments in circuit court facilities will fall into further disrepair.
• Counties are obligated to provide incarceration, sanctions, and services for felony offenders on probation, parole, or post-prison supervision and those sentenced to prison for 12 months or less; however, the levels and types of these activities is a local decision. Counties have the authority to design and deliver a continuum of sanctions and services to meet offender needs and provide community safety.
• For most counties, the impacts on community corrections will come from reductions in the local criminal justice system and in treatment programs provided directly or indirectly through county mental health programs. These impacts include:
Reduced number of deputy district attorneys
Reduced number of jail beds available for pre-trial detention and to respond to violations of supervision.
Reduced
number of law enforcement on patrol in the county.
Reduced county treatment services available.
