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Dallas County slashing public safety budgets while $48 million rainy day fund sits idle

If Dallas County can't afford to hire enough public defenders to keep caseloads reasonable or pay enough staff to guard the jail, why does the Commissioners Court have more than $48 million in a rainy day fund they're refusing to spend? According to the Dallas News ("Dallas County likes to keep its fat reserve," Sept. 8): During the height of the budget crisis in May, the county was sitting on $31 million in reserves. And when commissioners approve a 2008-09 budget in less than two weeks, that surplus in the General Fund will jump to at least $48 million ? for day-to-day operations alone. Additional reserves are available in other accounts that pay for major expenses like buildings, roads and technology upgrades. The reserves ? equal to 10.5 percent of the budget, by policy ? are meant for unanticipated emergencies...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on September 08, 2008 (boomark / email).