PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County juvenile and criminal justice professionals reacted with shock and dismay last week to a directive to severely cut their budgets.
County Administrator Charles Saddler distributed a memo Oct. 19 directing five departments cut spending in 2002 and 2003.
Saddler requested the offices of juvenile services, district court, prosecuting attorney, parks and recreation and civil service commission develop plans to reduce their dependence on the Jefferson County General Fund.
Saddler’s memo said the five departments account for a $1 million increase in the General Fund since 1994.
Saddler cited the dramatic growth of those five departments in the past seven years in asking them to curtail their dependence on the county funds.
This full report appears in today’s Jefferson County edition of the Sunday Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.