WARREN - Trumbull County commissioners spent Monday - and will continue today - listening to reasons why various county department budgets need to be increased during 2013.
Most departments likely will not get the increases they are requesting, according to the auditor.
Through the end of December, county departments are expecting to spend about $42.1 million in total general fund revenue. The commissioners received about $48.2 million in budget requests for 2013.
"Budget requests are just over $6 million, over the amount we budgeted for this year," said county Auditor Adrian Biviano. "We are going to have to trim some budget requests back to what they received this year."
"Our departments have been fairly responsible in their requests," Biviano said. "They know the situation we are facing with the reductions of the local government funds as well as other cuts, we will have about $3 million less money in our budget."
Trumbull County has seen a decrease of about 50 percent in its local government funds.
Fact Box
Today's schedule
Dog Kennel
Sheriff
Eastern District Court
Building Inspection
Recorder
Treasurer
Ohio State Extension
Planning Commission
Coroner
Prosecutor
Central District Court
Metropolitan Parks
Auditor
County Commissioner Frank Fuda said the budget hearings are going pretty well.
"Our insurance rates are going up next year," Fuda said. "Everything else will remain about the same as this year."
The Trumbull County Board of Elections presented an adjusted 2012 budget of $1.46 million and is asking the county to approve $1.481 million for 2013.
"Even years are always more expensive than odd years because of the types of elections we have in those years," said Kelly Pallante, director of the Trumbull County Board of Elections.
There are some contracts with its voting machine vendors that are expected to increase next year.
"We are just trying to hold on," she said.
Job & Family Services is seeking an increase from nearly $17 million to $17.2 million, and the Child Support Enforcement Agency is seeking an increase from nearly $5.1 million to $5.2 million. In recent years, each of the departments has seen a drop in employees.
From 2010 through 2012, the JFS work force has declined from 189 employees to 170. During the same period, Children Service has gone from 58 to 54 employees.
The Common Pleas Court budget request increased from an estimated $2.16 million to $2.34 million. The court went from 25 employees in 2010 to 23 employees in 2012.
The budget request from Adult Probation increased from $750,845 in 2012 to $771,127. The biggest increase in the budget was hospitalization and life insurance.