WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderBoone County makes budget cuts

Boone County makes budget cuts

By Samantha Ptashkin

BOONE COUNTY (WREX)- To help battle a $700,000 budget deficit Boone County Board members make some difficult decisions. They've asked employees in all departments to take four unpaid furlough days. This isn't the first time board members have made cuts. They've already cut $300,000 across all departments. Then the board found another $300,000 from assorted areas. Now they're hoping the furlough days will balance the budget to zero.

The board will save $120,000 through the unpaid days, which take effect May 1. "We're looking to have each department share in the pain. We don't want to single out one department as being able to suffer the whole burden," said Board Member Karl Johnson.

Of course the furlough days are voluntary and board members have left it up to department heads to decide if other cuts can make up for the funds. "It may come from not replacing somebody who has left, retired, or leaves a department, but that's up to the department heads" Johnson said.

Board members aren't immune to the furlough days either. They've been asked to take four and a half unpaid days, which would save $4,000. "I think the extra half goes above and beyond what we're asking our personnel to do. It shows leadership from our standpoint," Johnson said.

Johnson says if things get worse the board might just have to live with a deficit because they have to move on and deal with planning next year's budget.