Cuts and bruises

  Mike Sanders' economic team told the Jackson County legislature Monday that two funds -- the general fund and the anti-tax sales fund -- are a combined $6.2 million in the hole, out of a total budget of roughly $96 million.

  The result?  Someone will have to cut 5-7% out of those budgets to make them balance, by Jan. 8th.

   Those budgets pay for the jail, prosecutors, judges, salaries for county workers, drug counseling programs, and for other things.

   Chairman Henry Rizzo said he wasn't sure the cuts would reach 7% but admitted there's work to do.  "The numbers are shocking," he said.

Posted by Dave Helling

Comments

And your point is!

Katheryn, you KNOW what the point is...

Seems like the JACO legislators play golf and little else. How could all these things and all this money go by without their knowledge. They all ought to resign!

Real easy professional sevice contract

[Greg Logan]

Katheryn Shields is the most corrupt, arrogant and full-of-self politician I've seen in many years. Using her high ranking staff members as personal servants and leaving the county budget in terrible shape, and then acting as if she's a victim. Its been said many times, but it will be a good day in Kansas City when this woman is finally gone.

[GOPgal]

Did Sanders really say that he was going to balance the budget defecit WITHOUT asking for higher taxes?! My world is upside down, a Democrat is making more sense then anyone in my own party these days. I feel a "Morrison" coming over me.

[Cyrilla the Source]

Hey GOP, come on over to our side sister. Your party abandoned you long ago.

[KCHotDog]

The Toad may have finally outdone herself this time. Think about it. DeAnn Smith of the Star exposes the use of Shields' staffers as errand boys and girls. Shields calls KMBZ 980 radio this morning and acts like she's being victimized, when in fact all she's doing is showing very poor political judgment by giving this more attention. And now a multi-million dollar budget shortfall. It was only a few days ago that Shields said the county was in good shape financially. Stupid is as stupid does.

GOP,
If the Jackson County Dems can become the party of fiscal responsibility, then I for one will be impressed. It seems like Sanders has been/is off to a blazing start. Let see if he can keep it up. Thus far, thumbs up.

Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves. It is nice for Mike to say he will not raise taxes, but the truth is he cannot. The County is at their cap. For the County to raise taxes, they would have to ask the voters to approve a new cap limit.

The cuts the Dems are making is due to their inability to be fiscally responsible in the first place giving out exhorbatant raises and living beyond their means for many years now.

What they are doing is tightening their belt because the law says they have to. Lets keep this in perspective.

If they really want to be "fiscally responsible", the Dems will not only cut the budget the amount they need to by law, but will go farther and actually create laws that will dictate an annual surplus target and get their budget back within their revenue stream.

Based on the numbers reported today, they are still planning on spending $5 million above their revenue which means they will be doing this same old song and dance again next year....

[cmarshalldavis]

calling that fat public trough feeding PIG, katheryn shields "stupid" is being too kind.

immoral...liar...thief...are all better starts!

8:06
You have no idea what you are talking about. They will NOT be spending $5 million more than revenue, I think that is the entire point of the meeting, getting the fiscal house in order. Nice try though.

[GOPgal]

8:01, what does it say about me when Sanders is fast becoming my favorite local political leader and I'm a Republican from Kansas? I feel like I'm cheating on my husband or something.

[cmarshalldavis]

don't all GOP gals do that?

Tom Pendergast lives!

[capricorn8]

Rizzo shouldn't be so shocked, when the Legislative administrators have been given a year end "bonus" for the past 8 or 9 years. They over state their staff salaries every year and then in December pay out the balances to their administative staff. Where is the fiscal responsibility there?? Our how about employees who don't drive anywhere receiving a car allowance? This encludes Shields, who has others drive her places. Why should she receive a car allowance when she doesn't drive?

[James]

Is Sanders actually going to say no to the unions who helped elect him when they come asking for raises for the prosecutors?

History says that Sanders will say no. He `aint no wilting desert flower.

[somewhere in the middle]

And all I can think of is the goofy portrait of her on the ceiling.....

Anybody got an eraser????

[grunt]

When Mike confronts issues like Legislators spending down their surplus funds to give bonuses to their aides and he exposes as fraud the reallocation of phantom budgets (i.e. Independence animal shelter) and misappropriation of Legal Services for personal benefit, then he may earn true respect rather than the cheap praise some give to him so readily.

[LO[email protected]]

You guys remember my post a week or two ago where I said all I want for Christamas is 6 million dollars....well...there you go...lol.

Looking over the 2006 budget numbers, I can't really see any way to make up the 7% without raising taxes OR eliminating the positions of county employees.

I can't believe I actually agree with CMD...that woman should be in jail for a number of reasons and the legislature is damn lucky elections were prior to this announcement. Managing the budget and approving expenditures is only...oh I don't know.....their job?!!!??

Before you begin heralding the coming of the Sanders though, lets not forget his hand in the 6% wage increase war that he and Katty fought last year. I imagine the retroactive raises hurt the county a bit. What's truly sad is the employees of Jackson County deserve so much more than what they have received.

This county is SOOO broken.

Anyone hiring?

[[email protected]]

To somewhere in the middle,

Do you know how much they paid for that piggy portrait? The whole art project is an eye-sore. No offense to the artist, the artwork is good...the idea, horrible...and having her image plastered on that office...priceless....-ly tacky.

I feel so bad for the executive Secretary. I hope she's blowing spitballs at it...I would.

I, for one, can't wait to see what falls out of the trees when Sanders starts shaking up Jackson County!!

He already is shaking it up, and I for one am glad how I voted in August. Sanders B da Man.

The only way to make up the $4.4 million in the General Fund and $1.8 in the Anti-Drug Fund is with layoffs. Almost every department is looking at cutting budgeted positions and most of the budgeted positions are currently filled. If what was said Monday was true, and the $12+ million in surplus for 2006 was wiped away this year, the 6% wage increase did nothing to the General Fund. We would still be in the situation we are in because of a County Executive who's fiscal policy is to take a trip to Weston once a month.