The Pierce County Council voted March 31 to revise the 2009 budget to reflect lower-than-expected tax revenues as a result of the economic recession.

The new budget reduces General Fund spending this year by $8 million — from $289 million to $281 million. As is the case with Pierce County families and businesses, virtually every department in county government will have to make do with less.

Council Chairman Roger Bush noted that the cuts are designed to be surgical so that the county continues to spend 76 cents out of every dollar on public safety.

“We have been forced to focus on the core mission of county government, which is to ensure the safety of our citizens,” Bush said. “This budget does not take one single deputy off our roads or one single corrections officer from our jail.”

Executive Pat McCarthy gave department directors a variety of means to reduce spending. For example, the Planning and Land Services Department expects to implement a nine-day furlough for some workers pending agreement by a labor union, the Parks and Recreation Department is cutting back on facilities maintenance and staff hours on various programs, the Department of Human Resources is reducing positions, and the Sheriff’s Department may reduce marine patrols on Lake Tapps, Spanaway Lake, Alder Lake and Puget Sound.
Community groups that receive government grants will feel the pinch as well, with many getting cut by one third and some even more. However, the Executive and Council made it a priority to preserve funding for senior centers, which provide social activities, exercise venues and warm meals for one of the community’s most vulnerable populations.

The Executive and the Council Members warned that more spending reductions might be necessary. They will closely monitor economic conditions and could consider revising the 2009 budget again later this year if tax collections continue to decline. And the 2010 budget is likely to require more belt tightening.