Montogomery county has finance issues

Montgomery county, Ohio has a projected $7.6 million General Fund shortfall. To combat this shortfall, there have been layoffs in various areas and general belt-tightening. But there does seem to be some money that could help. It just can't be used.

When Montgomery County Administrator Deborah Feldman surveys the county’s dismal financial picture, she can’t help but notice the $9.4 million sitting in county treasurer and prosecutor coffers.

That money, accumulated from delinquent property tax payments, can only be used to collect additional late taxes...

...State law keeps Feldman from tapping the $9.4 million held by the treasurer and prosecutor. The law allows those offices to keep and divide evenly 5 percent of delinquent tax collections. Had the taxes been paid on time the money would have gone to schools, the human services levy, Sinclair Community College, the Dayton Metro Library and other property tax recipients.

Apparently, state law mandates that delinquent tax payments go to a fund...which is used to collect delinquent tax payments. Those delinquent tax payments never actually go to the schools, libraries, human services, etc.

The county just made $7.4 million in across-the-board-cuts. That included cuts to the police force.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer already cut 35 positions by attrition and job transfers and said the Feldman’s plan will cost him $800,000, which translates to about 16 positions. Plummer said he may have to cut the SWAT team and drug squad, and stop helping local jurisdictions with processing crime scenes.

And the county is sitting on $9.4 million...which can only be used to gather more money. To sit there. And do nothing.

The fund is supposed to be there to pay the salaries of the people who collect these delinquent taxes. Which, clearly, is necessary. The problem is that the money in the fund far outstrips the money spent to collect these delinquent taxes. So there is always money just sitting there. Doing nothing.

County Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck Jr. has the largest pot of special fund money, with nearly $5.8 million accumulated in his delinquent tax fund. County Treasurer Carolyn Rice has the second largest: $3.6 million in her delinquent tax fund. Money coming into those funds — about $935,000 for each office last year — far exceeds the amount that each office spends collecting delinquent taxes.

“It appears that we are consistently collecting more than has been needed to perform the function,” Feldman said. “(That) fund has had me concerned for a very long time.”

All told, there is nearly $19.4 million sitting in 33 special purpose funds.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer claims he could easily pay the salaries of 15 laid-off deputies and officers if he could access this money.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer could more than cover the cost of 15 laid-off deputies and officers with the $1 million he has in two funds filled with proceeds seized from drug raids and other criminal activities.

But he can’t use that money to pay staff. By law Plummer can only use seized assets for equipment, such as his SWAT vehicle, guns or computers.

So they can only use the money for equipment...not the people to use said equipment.

$19.4 million. Sitting in various accounts. While people are losing their jobs.