County Executive Race: Budget

Tom Kacich of the News-Gazette looked at a couple budget issues likely facing the new County Executive office on the ballot this year. The County Board is in the process of drafting next year's budget, but the candidates for the new office seem to be confident that they'll be able to work within that initial budget and make changes with the County Board as needed from there. From the News-Gazette Today:

Tom Kacich | County executive a question of funds, staff
One of the primary arguments against Champaign County adopting a county-executive form of government two years ago when the question was on the ballot (and passed, 50.27 percent to 49.73 percent) was its cost to an already cash-strapped government...

Both Hulten and Kloeppel say it's possible that more money may be needed.

"I think I'm going to inherit the staff that currently exists and the county board has budgeted for, and if I need anything additional, I'm going to have to go to the county board and ask for it. All of this has to be done as a collaboration with the county board because budgetary responsibility is shared," said Hulten, who is currently the county clerk. "Initially, I don't believe I'm going to need any more staff than what is there now...

Kloeppel said she's prepared to live within the preliminary budget, although she'll probably need to find money to have an attorney on retainer.

"Yes, I think that I can stay within whatever (county board members) decide. I'm not really pushing hard right now. I know they're working on the budget, and I'm not calling them up every day and saying, 'Make sure to include that,'" said the Democratic candidate...

Kloeppel said she'd need to have an attorney on retainer because the county board would have use of the state's attorney's office in cases where there is a conflict.

On overall spending there were some differences between the candidates on whether spending cuts otherwise would even be possible:

"My plan is, as I have as county clerk, to use technology and organizational improvements and provide more services at a lower cost over time. I of course will have to work with the county board to do that. But I'm looking forward to that challenge," said Hulten.

Kloeppel said she would not make a similar pledge.

"I don't know what he's got in mind. I'm thinking, 'Where would (the cuts) be?' Because in the last three years, the county has cut people to the point where he and all the other officials said, 'We can't cut anymore.' I'm not interested in cutting anybody at this point," she said.

Full article here. Kloeppel appears to be referring to instances like the marathon six and a half hour Committee of the Whole meeting where mostly Republican county government officials, including Hulten, demonstrated in great detail that the County budget was already skeletonized throughout each and every possible office and facility and equipment. The issue then had to do with Democrats trying to find any places to cut to try to retain public ownership of the Champaign County Nursing Home. There was simply nowhere left to cut. A more detailed write-up of that meeting (and video links) here.