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Pocono News Section
Columbia County Considering Cuts
Columbia County Considering Cuts - Friday, August 7, 2009 at 6:05PM EST
Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Friday, Aug 7, 2009 @ 06:05pm EST
BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY -- Balancing budgets and cutting jobs are growing problems for counties throughout the area. Officials here are now considering everything from layoffs to furloughs to four-day work weeks -- all to save money.
Tracie Wilcox is a caseworker in Columbia County. She knows the county's budget deficit could lead to job cuts.
"I'd love to keep working, to keep everybody here working," said Wilcox. She said the state budget impasse is hurting her, her county, and her clients. "I'm worried how I can help my clients, because the state budget is affecting how we do our job, because there's not enough money for resources to do our job."
County Chief Clerk Gail Kipp is crunching numbers. She says she usually doesn't have to until the end of November. She didn't expect a problem in August.
"No, I didn't," said Kipp. "It never happens. It never happens."
Commissioners say the biggest problem is not knowing how much or when state and federal funding is coming.
"If this keeps up, we're going to run out of money by October, maybe even sooner," said Commissioner David Kovach (D). "If we don't have money, then we can't provide services and pay our employees. It's probably going to end up hurting. We've already had to lay some people off."
Wilcox is worried about her clients. She's also worried about her own family -- they were without her husband's state pay for a month. But she's willing to do the same.
"If it means working without pay, I guess I'll do it," said Wilcox. "Anything to keep working."
Kipp and the finance director plan to have the finalized numbers for the budget deficit to the commissioners by Tuesday. They'll then make recommendations as to which cuts are necessary. | | |
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