Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Minor budget tweaks expected ahead of vote

The budget Hamilton County Commissioners vote on later this week will likely look a lot like the one proposed by county administration.

Board President Chris Monzel is suggesting just one change. The proposed budget calls for cutting $6.65 million in indigent care levy funds from the UC Medical Center and using it to cover a gap in the Sheriff's inmate care budget.

In his proposal, Monzel writes:

In 2014, $6.65 million in general fund expenses for the Probate Court mental health commitment hearings and the Sheriff’s department for mandated indigent care will be transferred to the Indigent Care Levy. To provide a potential measure of relief to the reduction in levy funding to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC), I propose designating residual levy proceeds at the end of the current levy cycle for indigent care medical services provided by UCMC. Furthermore, to the extent that federal health care reform results in expenses for inmate medical services within the Justice Center and Youth Detention Center below the 2014 budgeted amounts due to the potential for Medicaid reimbursement eligibility, we will designate these additional 2014 resources to indigent care medical services provided by UCMC up to the amount contemplated for UCMC 2014 support in the original 2012-2014 levy plan.

Commissioner Monzel's plan:

Commissioner Todd Portune would like to see a few more additions. He's asking for a five year budget stabilization plan; $1 million for an infant mortality reduction program; a contract with UC's Center on Economic Excellence to review economic development efforts; and a plan to share services with Cincinnati.

Commissioner Portune's Plan:

The board is expected to vote on the budget Wednesday, November 6.

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.