Erie Co. won't trim workforce, for now

PERKINS TWP. — There's a lot of uncertainty regarding the potential impact a pandemic shutdown could have on Erie County's finances. But county commissioners don't expect any furloughs or layoffs for their 720-person workforce in the foreseeable future. In other words, they're safe — for now. "At this time, we are not planning on eliminating jobs," commissioner Matt Old said. Several county higher-ups — the three commissioners along with other elected officials and their administrative staff members — have discussed numerous budget scenarios during the past few weeks. The latest instance occurred during a public meeting Wednesday. Nobody wants to downsize the workforce. But officials do understand labor costs make up roughly two-thirds of the county's $31 million everyday operating budget, which funds dozens of public services, like courts, the sheriff and jail operations. Commissioners must get creative, however, to balance a budget with depressed revenue streams, thanks to factors such as record unemployment levels, over the longer term. They've already instituted a hiring freeze. Beyond that, additional measures under consideration include officials implementing furloughs, mandating a reduced schedule for all employees and encouraging veteran workers to take an early retirement package. And, as a last resort, officials would begrudgingly approve layoffs. Laying off on the layoffs Similar to Sandusky's government, Erie County's relies on tourism to fuel its budget. But, unlike Sandusky's government — which laid off several workers by nixing 18 positions this past month — Erie County receives income through many different non-tourism-dependent revenue sources, namely property and sales taxes. Furthermore, several longstanding belt-tightening policies positioned Erie County well to tackle such a financial crisis, Old said. "We have managed the county's money responsibly over the past years," said Old, who, with commissioner Pat Shenigo, helped reduce Erie County's debt to about $63 million in 2020. It's the lowest amount owed since 2002 and marks a 46 percent decrease compared to when county debt peaked at $116 million in 2008. Though, like every other government nationwide, people should anticipate for Erie County to take some big budget-related bumps. "This is going to be a tough year for everyone," Old said. "It's going to be a tough year for bars and restaurants, small businesses, large businesses and individuals. We are going to continue to monitor our tax receipts and make any hard decisions necessary to balance the budget at the appropriate time."