Hocking County
Posted November 02, 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 Hocking County?
The state cut the Local Government Fund to the county, forcing Hocking 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................ -$46.0 thousand
- Schools............................... -$2.8 million
- County operations.................. -$1.0 million (includes county undivided fund)
- Logan City........................... -$115.0 thousand
- Falls Township...................... -$34.0 thousand
- Good Hope Township............. -$24.0 thousand
- Green Township.................... -$29.0 thousand
Loss to health and human service levies
- County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities.......... -$168.0 thousand
- County seniors services........................................... -$24.0 thousand
- County health services............................................. -$12.0 thousand
Notes and quotes
Budget cuts will mean increased sewer rates for citizens and decreased number of hours some public officials work in Logan. This includes a reduction in working hours of Logan’s village clerk from 32 to 24 hours a week. The village clerk “expressed concern at past meetings that she can’t keep up the amount of work she does without extra help or in less hours.” “We will have to cut down on extra help unless it is an absolute emergency,” said Patty Jenks, a council member. To compensate for the decreased local government funds, Logan is expected to try to get revenue from other sectors, such as law enforcement fines. From “Council still contemplating expenditure cuts,” Logan Daily, March 29, 2012, http://tinyurl.com/96quvey.
“To balance a budget shortfall, Hocking College will eliminate 23 positions, including 14 non-bargaining administrative positions, four professional bargaining positions, and five support staff bargaining positions.” From “Hocking College to lay off 23,” Logan Daily, September 26, 2012. http://tinyurl.com/92bv2m8.
NOTES: The current state budget cuts the Local Government Fund to counties, municipalities and townships by 25 percent in the first year and by 50 percent in the second year. This 77-year old state revenue sharing program has, for generations, been essential to helping Ohio communities fund schools, provide services, and lift people out of poverty. The current state budget also phases out most of the tangible personal property tax and public utility property tax reimbursements, which were promised to local governments when the state cut taxes in recent years. These are not the only losses to local governments because of this budget. There are others in specific programs. Here we detail some of the bigger shifts. Change in revenues shown here include:
- Local Government Fund "County Undivided Fund," which counties share with their cities, townships and villages. We show how much less money the counties are receiving under the current 2-year state budget (for 2012 and 2013) compared to the two years under the prior state budget (which was for 2010 and 2011). Here the funds are shown on a calendar year basis because that is how the tax department forecasts and records their distribution to local governments, and it is how local governments budget (The state budget is based on the fiscal year, July 1 through June 30.)
- Local Government “Municipal Direct” allocation from the Local Government Fund that the state gives directly to localities. This is also shown in terms of funding provided in the calendar years 2012 and 2013 compared to 2010 and 2011;
- Property tax reimbursements promised to local governments during tax reductions enacted earlier in the decade. The loss of funding in calendar years 2012 and 2013 is compared to the level of funding provided in 2010 and 2011.
The figures for changes in funding levels are based on data provided by and spreadsheets online at the Ohio Department of Taxation for local government funds and tax reimbursement distributions.