Scioto County Commissioners Bryan Davis and Scottie Powell say the county is heading into another tight budget year, and they’re asking all county offices to be mindful of the financial strain.
At Thursday’s public budget hearing—the first since the passing of Commissioner Cathy Coleman on July 4—no members of the public attended or submitted questions online, despite the importance of the topic.
Budget Numbers and a Growing Gap
Commissioner Powell explained that the county’s General Fund is projected at $22.3 million for the next year. When you include grants, gas taxes, and other outside funds, the total budget rises to about $72 million—but that doesn’t mean there’s wiggle room.
“We’re really working with the $22 million from the General Fund,” Powell said. “And department budget requests came in close to $28 million. That’s a $6 million gap.”
That means some belt-tightening is ahead.
“We don’t get to print money like the federal government,” Powell added. “We have to operate within our budget. It’s going to be another tight year.”
He also reminded the public that payroll and benefits make up the largest portion of expenses and praised the late Cathy Coleman for her commitment to financial responsibility.
“One thing Cathy fought hard for was maintaining her husband’s legacy of getting this county out of the red. That’s what we will continue to do.”
Opioid Crisis Driving Up Costs
Commissioner Davis echoed the need for financial caution, pointing out that the county has remained in the black for 12 straight years—a streak they intend to protect.
“We’re not going back to the days of fiscal emergency,” Davis said. “But if we don’t get some of these costs under control, it could bankrupt this county.”
Davis said much of the strain is coming from the opioid epidemic, which has pushed up costs for:
- Foster care
- Children’s Protective Services investigators
- Law enforcement
- Courts and prosecutors
“People are the main driver of costs,” Davis said. “You can’t run these services without them.”
He also called out unfunded mandates from the state, including the cost of indigent defense, which he says local governments are unfairly left to pay for.
“We have so many buckets to fill and only so much revenue to do it with,” Davis said. “As the late Mike Crabtree used to say: ‘You don’t do more with less. You do less with less.’”
Not Covered by the Budget
Davis clarified that some high-profile services—like road repairs and housing—aren’t funded through the General Fund and instead fall under separate departments like the County Engineer or local municipalities.
Final Budget Approved
Despite the tough talk, the budget was unanimously approved by the commissioners with no public feedback or questions submitted during the hearing.
