Lane County’s proposed budget for its next fiscal year has a critical goal: buying time to avoid deeper cuts to essential services like public safety and rural patrol services.
The county’s proposed 448-page budget, released this week, comes amid a strained financial time for the county and other local governments across Oregon. Inflation remains high as the county’s next fiscal year, which starts July 1, approaches. The federal government is chipping away at programs that help provide funding for food, housing and health care for vulnerable Oregonians, making county residents more likely to rely upon shelters and other local services.
State funding remains a challenge as well. The county could see a drop of up to $2.3 million in its share of state funding to help pay for local shelters and support services. The final amount of the cutback still could change, though, and officials are still working through the details of what the impacts will be…