House budget cuts could mean tax hike in York County

Under a proposed tax cut in Harrisburg, a typical York County property owner would need to pay about $10 a year more in local taxes or nearly two dozen probation officers could lose their jobs. That, in turn, would likely keep more children and adult offenders locked up, rather than out, but supervised.

Similar affects could be seen across the state.  

A proposed $1.8 million cut to York County's state funding has the county commissioners already considering a tax increase next year.

The Pennsylvania House appropriations bill, passed by the House and sent on to the Senate, slashes almost $978,000 from the county's adult and juvenile probation departments.

The total cuts will be across the board, affecting all 67 counties.

More:House Appropriations Committee opens state budget hearings

April Billet-Barclay, director of York County probation services, said the budget cuts  would require laying off 22 probation department employees here.

County spokesman Mark Walters said it would take a 7/100ths of a mill tax increase to cover the shortfall to the county and avoid the layoffs.

This year's county budget carries a 5.8 mill tax rate or an $870 annual tax bill on a $150,000 property. The millage increase to cover the proposed budget cuts would increase that annual tax bill to $880.50.

Laying off that many probation officers and employees would have immediate negative effects on the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems, Walters said.

The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania predicts the budget cuts will result in more juveniles being incarcerated rather then being placed in less restrictive, more rehabilitative environments.

More:Power seat awaits York County Rep. Stan Saylor

The association also states that more non-violent adult offenders will receive prison rather than probationary sentences.

The House bill also cuts funding across the commonwealth to county mental health services, common pleas courts, alternative punishment treatment programs and eliminates the State Sentencing Commission, which provides "critical data and science" in the criminal justice system, the state commissioners association said.

The York County Commissioners, however, have the ear of the House appropriations committee chair, who happens to be a York County state representative.

Walters said the commissioners and the county administrator met with the committee chair -- Rep. Stan Saylor, R-Red Lion -- along with Rep. Seth Grove, R-Dover Township, who also is on the  appropriations committee, and York County representatives Kristin Phillips Hill, R-York Township, and Kate Klunk, R-Hanover, last week to voice their concerns about the budget cuts.

Walters said both sides found the meeting "productive."