Sheriff's Office may be exempt from county budget cuts

Everyone did, Kremen said, except the Sheriff's Office, which asked for an additional $1.3 million for 2009. In 2008, the Sheriff's Office had $11.2 million.

The county projects to have a total general fund budget of $85.5 million in 2009, according to county documents.

"They receive without a doubt the lion's share of the general fund," Kremen said. "Budgeting is always a challenge, but even more so this year with the financial difficulties. We have to make do with what we have."

County Council will vote to adopt the general fund budget, which includes money for the Sheriff's Office, in December.

Kremen said he won't recommend the increased spending to the County Council, but he will recommend that the Sheriff's Office be exempt from cuts.

County officials are still figuring out how to absorb that cost while filling the budget shortfall, said County Deputy Administrator Dewey Desler.

Kremen has asked the Parks and Recreation Department, the Health Department, the Planning Department and the Juvenile Services Administration to cut their spending more than 3.6 percent.

Sheriff Bill Elfo said trimming 3.6 percent from his budget would amount to a $450,000 loss. It would mean cutting three deputies who patrol in Kendall, Birch Bay, Sudden Valley and a fourth deputy assigned to the county Courthouse, he said.

Elfo was hoping for the extra money to pay for additional deputies who are needed to shrink the size of patrol zones and decrease response times, he said.

"We're in tight budget times, but sometimes that's when crime is at its worse - in tough economic times," Elfo said.

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