PINE BLUFF -- The Jefferson County Quorum Court will meet at 5:30 p.m. today to hash out the 2016 budget, which will be one of the tightest in many years, officials said.
Earlier this year, justices of the peace held numerous meetings during a budget crisis that nearly led to a missed payroll for county employees. The Quorum Court passed a measure in July that temporarily shored up the county's struggling 2015 budget and ensured that workers were paid.
But Jefferson County Judge Dutch King and several justices of the peace repeatedly warned that layoffs may be needed to help balance future budgets. So far during the 2016 budgeting process, there has been no discussion about cutting jobs.
Several county offices are still tweaking their budgets. So far, proposed budgets include: $3.9 million for the Jefferson County jail, $1.5 million for the juvenile jail, $638,448 for Juvenile Justice Education, $600,000 for the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library System, $502,765 for recycling activities, $484,668 for maintenance and operation of Jefferson County District Court, $98,420 for the prosecutor's victim witness fund, $85,587 for the victims of crime program at the prosecutor's office, $60,000 for jury fees for circuit court, $47,850 for maintenance and operations for the public defender's office, $44,576 for the Tri-County Drug Task Force, $30,000 for emergency vehicles, $23,933 to pay for a part-time environmental enforcement officer, and $4,250 for Jefferson County Drug Court.
As part of the July measure, elected officials came up with more than $323,000 from their collective budgets to add to the waning county general fund. Salaries for nearly 160 county workers, including elected officials, come from that fund.
Jefferson County's budget problems started with population losses that caused its tax base to dwindle, King has said.
Property and sales taxes make up the bulk of a county's budget. Since 2000, Jefferson County has lost more than 11,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The county's current population is 73,191, according to a 2013 census estimate.
Additionally, spending has outpaced revenue over the past several years, resulting in budget shortfalls, Treasurer Elizabeth Rinchuso said.
For example, Jefferson County began 2008 with more than $3.4 million in its county general fund. To start 2015, the county general fund held just $1.1 million, Rinchuso said, adding that county offices and departments are spending more money than they were allotted.
Rinchuso also said there has been about $250,000 less than expected in fines and fees collected from the Jefferson County sheriff 's office and the circuit and county clerks' offices because judges have been allowing residents to perform community service instead of paying fines.
State Desk on 12/21/2015