Eaton County, Mich. — Facing a budget shortfall and a failed millage vote, the Eaton County Board of Commissioners took decisive action Friday, approving significant cuts to the county’s upcoming budget in an effort to prevent a financial crisis.
County officials acknowledged that expenses currently exceed income, forcing them to reconsider spending priorities and implement deep reductions across multiple departments and outside agencies. The county’s budget, which totals approximately $50 million, requires a $5 million cut to remain financially stable.
Eaton County Controller Connie Sobie, who expressed frustration during the meeting, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “We need to make deep cuts, and I’m not talking surfacey cuts here and there,” Sobie stated. “I’m going to get very angry today, and I don’t care if I lose my job.”
The commission’s budget adjustments came after a May election where 57% of voters rejected a millage that would have increased taxes by roughly $12 per month for the average resident.
The Board began its reductions by targeting outside agencies, implementing cuts ranging from 25% to 100%. Among the steepest reductions were a 75% cut to Eaton County Health and Rehabilitation Services, a complete elimination of funding to the Tri-County Metro Narcotics office, and a full cut to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The Community Mental Health collaboration saw a 30% reduction, and the Barry-Eaton District Health Department faced a 25% cut. Funding for programs such as the Tri-County Office on Aging, which provides Meals on Wheels to seniors, was preserved, as were allocations to the Eaton Conservation District and Capital Area Community on Governments.
Despite these measures, some commissioners, including Mark Murdy, pushed for further cuts. “No cut, no cut, no cut, are we going to continue doing no cuts? Our job here is to make cuts,” Murdy declared.
The Board then turned its attention to county departments, approving cuts exceeding $100,000 from the Drain Office, more than $800,000 from the Trial Courts, close to $500,000 from the Prosecutor’s Office, and nearly $2 million from the Sheriff’s Office. Public safety, which accounts for approximately 65% of the budget, took an overall $2.5 million hit.
Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd warned that these reductions could lead to significant delays in the justice system. “As elected officials, we now have to look at this and think, what do we have to do in order to keep our offices running?” Lloyd said.
The proposed cuts are not yet final. Departments and agencies will have opportunities in late June to present their cases to retain funding before the Board of Commissioners finalizes the budget in September.
With these stringent cuts, Eaton County is taking a hard stance on financial management to avoid deficit spending but faces the challenge of balancing fiscal responsibility with maintaining essential services for residents.
