Workers
have cost savings ideas...
The employees of
the County of York take the lack of revenue available to fund County
services very seriously. Many of the County's employees have submitted
various ideas to create revenues or savings in a variety of areas. The
following is a list, in no particular order, of those ideas. The range
of these ideas are from small and self-imposing to those requiring legislation.
While we realize
that some of these ideas are currently being considered or have been
considered in the past, we do not feel that they should be discounted.
It is our hope that the consideration and discussion of these ideas
will fuel viable and possibly very different solutions to the County's
funding needs.
We sincerely hope
that Department Heads would welcome anyone who would wish to spend a
day watching various departmental functions so that people would have
a better understanding of the reality of the financial needs for any
given department. Many of the employees would be happy to participate
in the discussion, development, and implementation of any funding solutions.
- Development of
a 5-year plan;
- County sales
tax;
- Investment of
local tax dollars back into local employees, businesses, and goods;
- Legislation for
Jail Debt Service to either be absorbed into the BOC Jail Budget or
to be paid from jail revenues; Cuts
to External Agencies; - Outdoor Maintenance to be performed by prisoners;
Raise Recording
Fees;
- Regulate Notary/Copy
fees throughout the county departments so they are consistent;
- Review of the
online Deeds issues concerning pay-per-view and theft/cost of copies
- In addition to the losses to the County, local title businesses
and attorneys are losing business to companies not only outside of
Maine, but also outside of the United States;
- Increase in
the percentage the County receives from Deeds Transfer Taxes;
- Raise Deferred
Disposition Fees;
- Charge for copies
of discovery;
- Rent meeting
rooms;
- Energy savings
- turn off lights/use fewer bulbs/utilization of energy efficient
bulbs;
- Transition to
paperless or duplex when possible;
- Gas mileage
to be claimed on income tax rather than being reimbursed by the County;
- Explore grants
for a variety of purposes;
- Increase hourly
rates charged for all special services and outside details requiring
deputy sheriffs to insure that all costs are covered.
As the 2010 York
County Budget begins development, it is our hope that these ideas will
generate viable funding solutions that will allow York County to continue
to provide its quality services. The members of Maine State Employees
Association Chapter 1297 and the County Patrol Association are ready,
willing and committed to continue working towards a solution to the
betterment of the County of York's financial situation.
