As Peoria County prepares its next year’s budget, its general operating fund has a nearly $2.5 million dollar spending gap to fill. An increase in personnel expenditures this year is a factor in the deficit.
County CFO Eric Dubrowski says sharing more job duties could increase savings. He says a similar move happened in 2015 where one employee was split between the auditor’s office and the finance office:
“Right now during budget season I do miss him a bit," Dubrowski said. "And actually we might get him back for a few weeks here. But it’s the vantage point of, I’d rather have half an employee than none of an employee.”
The county is seeing a decrease in revenues. He says a combination of state budget cuts, slowing sales tax revenues and a flat tax rate all play a part in the fund's deficit.
“In terms of expenses, you’ve had these standard labor contracts as well as the potential backfill of vacancies or fill of current vacancies,” Dubrowki said.
More than 60 percent of the general operating fund spending is on personnel. Dubrowski would not say whether job cuts would be proposed, but he says there is potential for the current vacancies to lose funding.
County Administrator Scott Sorrel says the budget will be balanced, but some elected officials and department heads are not going to like it.