Scioto County is officially feeling the COVID financial whiplash, and county leaders say the days of extra money, bailouts, and budget cushions are over.
At a tense budget discussion, Scioto County Commissioners approved a flat—and in some cases reduced—2026 budget, warning county offices that no pay raises are coming, and staff cuts or furloughs may be unavoidable.
Commissioner Scottie Powell didn’t sugarcoat the situation.
“We have $2 million in foster care costs sitting 90 days out that Jobs and Family Services simply does not have the funding to pay,” Powell said. “That funding’s not there, and we are having to offset it.”
No Bailouts This Time
Powell made it clear that while commissioners have stepped in to cover budget overruns in the past, that safety net is gone.
“I cannot promise—and will not promise—that money will be there if offices come back in October, November, or December asking for more,” Powell warned. “Please manage your budgets.”
Commissioners are asking officeholders to:
- ❌ Freeze wages
- ❌ Avoid one-time pay increases
- ⚠️ Prepare staff reduction plans
- ⚠️ Consider furlough days
“If we don’t control this,” Powell said, “we could be thrown into fiscal watch. That’s not a scare tactic—that’s reality.”
‘If Payroll Fails, That’s on You’
Powell delivered one of the bluntest warnings of the meeting: once the budget is handed down, officeholders are on their own.
“If an officeholder comes to us in October and says they can’t make payroll—that’s not a commissioners issue. That’s their issue,” Powell said. “If you start hearing about layoffs or furloughs, understand that today we are saying: this is your budget—plan accordingly.”
The COVID Hangover
Commissioners acknowledged what many local governments across Ohio are now facing: COVID-era grant money is gone.
“We were using that money to prop up parts of government,” Powell said. “That money is gone. Please plan accordingly.”
Flat Budget Doesn’t Mean What You Think
Commissioner Merit Smith clarified a common misunderstanding about the term “flat budget.”
“A flat budget doesn’t mean what you spent last year—it means what you were budgeted,” Smith said. “In many cases, offices overspent. We expect people to stay within what they were given.”
Unanimous Vote, Uncomfortable Reality
Despite the warnings and the tough outlook, commissioners unanimously approved the 2026 budget.
The message from the board was clear:
💸 The COVID money is gone
🚫 No raises are coming
⚠️ Cuts may be next
Scioto County is entering 2026 with tight belts, hard choices, and no room for error.
