Salt Lake County commissioners plan to dip into reserve funds to pay for almost $7 million in new spending, a move one commissioner said is necessary.
In hearings this week, the commission heard requests from department heads as part of the budget reopening for the midyear adjustments.County Auditor Nelson Williams said making such widespread changes to the budget at midyear could put next year's budget in trouble.
Commissioner Randy Horiuchi disagreed because many of the proposed changes involve capital - or building - projects. He insists the county is in a bind not much different from when State Street flooded in 1983 and necessitated a response.
"We're coming into different times," he said. "At last year's budget we didn't have the information to make the decisions."
A large chunk of the money is going toward law enforcement. Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron Kennard asked for the necessary funding to ease jail overcrowding. The commissioners have given a tentative OK to fund nearly $3 million worth of Kennard's proposals, including more detoxification beds, renovating the ninth and 10th floors of the Metropolitan Hall of Justice and increasing the jail's booking capabilities.
Another approved proposal was to change the way the county screens juvenile offender cases. The responsibility will now be turned over to the District Attorney's Office.
A public hearing will be held Wednesday before the commission votes on whether to approve the changes to the budget.
Horiuchi said the county needs more latitude. Budgeting is tight because the county has to "rely solely on the very unflexible property tax" rather than receiving sales tax dollars as cities do.
Losing the Union area and the Family Center at Fort Union to a proposed Midvale annexation would cut even deeper into the county's pockets.
"If we lose that area to Midvale . . . we will, for a fact, lose $2 million off the top," Horiuchi said.
More than $11 million will remain in the county's reserves.