The Peoria County Board approved a 10.5 percent across the board cut to its 2020 budget as COVID-19 takes a bite out of incoming revenues.
Peoria County Administrator Scott Sorrel said the $12.4 million in cuts will result in at least 83 temporary or permanent layoffs, and potentially as many as 110. Management employees will also be subject to temporary layoffs.
The board passed the cuts on a 12-6 vote, narrowly satisfying the two-thirds requirement needed to amend a budget.
County board member Steve Rieker said this may have some impacts on the courthouse and county clerk's operations, but it's the best compromise.
"It's a balance between maintaining quality services, and maintaining our budget, and not raising taxes," he said.
Board member Jimmy Dillon said avoiding a tax hike was important because constituents are struggling to pay mortgages or rents.
"This isn't something that we can tax our way out of, because everybody's hurting. And I know it hurts, because we're making employees hurt, also," he said.
But Peoria County Board Chairman Andrew Rand said some elected officials sacrificed far more than others.
"I want to support this, but the real underbelly of my concern is that - my feeling is that not everybody dug the oars in the water with the same intentions here," said Rand.
He said some officials, like Sheriff Brian Asbell and State's Attorney Jodi Hoos, made difficult choices now to help right the financial ship. He criticized other, unnamed officials for pulling back when the county board opted to cut the budget by 10.5 percent instead of 15 percent.
The county board also voted Thursday night to freeze the salaries of the coroner, circuit clerk, and auditor for their next four year terms. The upcoming two-year terms for nine county board members will also be frozen due to the COVID-19 pandemic's financial impacts.
The county board was advised Thursday that the budget will likely be revisited again later this year.
The county board also unanimously voted down a four-year contract with AFSCME Local 3586. That contract would have given employees in that bargaining unit a 2.25 percent raise this year, 2.5 percent raise over the next two years, and a 2.75 percent raise in 2023.
Betty Duncan was also appointed to fill the vacancy in District 3 left by Barry Robinson. The district includes downtown Peoria, as well as parts of the East Bluff, South Side, and North Valley.
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