Fairfield County
Posted November 01, 2012 in Press Releases
State overviewDownload PDFImpact of Ohio’s 2012-13 state budget (HB 153)
Ohio’s budget for 2012 and 2013 cut local government aid by a billion dollars. This means cuts in services we depend on, from road repair and emergency services to crossing guards, senior transportation and child protective services. What are the implications for Fairfield County?
The state cut the Local Government Fund to the county, forcing Fairfield County to make cuts to jurisdictions within the county. The state also cut direct funding to municipalities, and slashed reimbursements for taxes it had eliminated, taxes that businesses and utilities had paid to local governments. School districts and the public library fund were also cut. Losses in calendar years 2012 and 2013, compared to 2010 and 2011, include, among others:
- Public Library Fund............. -$141.0 thousand
- Schools.............................. -$11.6 million
- County operations............... -$3.9 million (includes LGF for townships and parks)
- Lancaster........................... -$1.4 million
- Pickerington....................... -$307.0 thousand
- Violet Township.................. -$354.0 thousand
Loss to health and human service levies
- County mental health........... -$809.0 thousand
- County seniors services......... -$96.0 thousand
Notes and quotes
"For a city this size, we should probably have around 80 firefighters. The work is there, and we have that many runs in the city…..But the other reality is the funding is not there. Having a department with 68 firefighters and medics may very well be the norm for the foreseeable future, and we have to be prepared for that." - Greenfield Township Fire Chief Terry Morris. From Burnett, Carl Jr., “Exclusive watchdog report: City fire cuts straining surrounding townships.” Lancaster Eagle Gazette. January 15, 2012. http://tinyurl.com/cvtte3v.
In October 2011 Lancaster laid off 13 firefighters and closed an Engine House to adjust to the budget cuts. From Burnett, Carl Jr. “Exclusive watchdog report: City fire cuts straining surrounding townships.” Lancaster Eagle Gazette. January 15, 2012. http://tinyurl.com/cvtte3v.
"We already are short-staffed here… We normally have four medics on duty around the clock" - Greenfield Township Fire Chief Terry Morris (speaking on making mutual runs into Lancaster). From Burnett, Carl Jr. “Exclusive watchdog report: City fire cuts straining surrounding townships.” Lancaster Eagle Gazette, January 15, 2012. http://tinyurl.com/cvtte3v.
“Fire and police [unions' bargaining units] had closed contracts, but they opened them up to allow us to work with them on a number of issues… But Smith still had to lay off the firefighters, and he insisted that Senate Bill 5 wouldn’t have saved the day for anybody.”