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By VICKI URBANIK The state agency that handles Porter County’s child abuse and neglect cases received the approval it needed to cover a budget shortfall this week, but not without some frustration directed at the state for overruling a county decision. Representatives of the Department of Child Services appeared before the Porter County Council this week seeking an appropriation for more than $4.7 million to meet expenses through the end of this year. Though a state agency, the local office is funded in part by county property taxes, with the county council annually approving the budget. Lou Ritchie, Porter County DCS director, told the council that the DCS currently has more than $2 million in obligations. She said the agency has a cash balance of $4.7 million to cover those expenses, but that it cannot access the funds without an appropriation from the council. That frustrated at least two council members, who noted that during budget hearings in 2007, the council cut back the DCS’s budget from the requested $8.2 million to $5 million. Council member Jim Burge, R-at large, said despite that decision, the tax revenue collected still came to the higher amount. He said he’s frustrated that the DCS is the only department which has a budget that must be approved by the council but which can disregard the budgeted amount. “That was all an exercise in futility,” said Council President Robert Poparad, D-1st, of the council’s budget review. “You need us to appropriate the money we didn’t want you to have.” County Council member Dan Whitten, D-at large, said perhaps the state approved the higher tax levy because it didn’t want to shortchange kids. If there are to be budget cuts, he said, they shouldn’t be directed at the most vulnerable kids in society. But Burge said the issue isn’t about protecting kids, but about a “bloated bureaucracy” that doesn’t provide checks and balances. The appropriation was approved 5-1, with only Burge voting no and Poparad, Whitten, Michael Bucko, D-4th, Karen Conover, R-3rd, and Rita Stevenson, D-2nd, voting yes. The dispute over county tax funding for the DCS may soon be a thing of the past. Beginning next year, the state will assume all expenses for county DCS offices that are now paid through property taxes. These include the Family and Children Fund, which pays for foster care and housing programs for children removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or other reasons. However, Porter County Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper, who works closely with the DCS as part of her work with the Family Court and juvenile programs, said the state is not expected to pick up all the costs that are now funded through local property taxes. The council will likely be asked to continue funding those expenses elsewhere in the county budget, she said. Airport Honored Also at Monday’s county council meeting, representatives of the Aviation Association of Indiana were on hand to present an award to the Porter County Municipal Airport as the 2008 Airport of the Year. The award came with a plaque and $1,000, which will be divvied up among four groups that support the airport: The Experimental Aircraft Association, the Porter County Pilots Association, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Aviation Museum. Aviation Authority Board President Paul Chael told the council that the county airport has a long history of being well run and self-sustaining and that the airport’s high standards are reflected in the state award.
Posted 12/11/208
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