By contrast, furloughed county employees will lose 1.5 percent of their pay and get no cost-of-living raise next fiscal year.
A few minor issues remain unresolved.
Sigaty said she will be talking to Ulman about ways to reconstitute an alternative sentencing program without using county funds. The 15-year-old program administered by county Sheriff James Fitzgerald is ending July 1, saving $467,000. Fitzgerald said the program, which monitors people assigned community service for minor offenses by county judges, is too difficult to run and lightly used.
Fox said he is still looking at a few "minor things," such as another way to cut funding from the Healthy Howard health access plan for uninsured county residents. Fox on Monday suggested cutting at least half the proposed $500,000 in county funds for the program, but drew no support from other members.
Health officer Peter Beilenson told the council Monday that state cuts will cost his office nearly $1 million and, together with county reductions, force seven layoffs. He said more state cuts are likely in fiscal 2010. He defended county funding for Healthy Howard, arguing that as a pilot program with great potential, it needs significant cash reserves.
Watson said she also may have a proposal or two, but offered no specifics beyond urging the administration to reverse plans to remove a staff person at the Elkridge Senior Center. Only $12,000 in county funds is needed to prevent that, according to Wacks.
