Cuts in Court: Loss of Revenue, Poor Service, Repeat Offenders

Last year Ferndale's City Council had to close a more than $3 million shortfall in the general fund. As property taxes have continued to fall, which make up nearly half of the general fund revenue, Council is facing another projected shortfall this year in the general fund to the tune of $2.3 million.

Council asked 43rd District Judget Joseph Longo to illustrate 15 percent and 20 percent cuts to his budget to try to help balance the shorftall if the May 3 millage doesn't pass.

Expenses for fiscal year end 2011 for the were $1,268,739. Cutting 15 percent would be a reduction about $190,000 and cutting 20 percent a little more than $250,000.

Longo said cutting 15 percent, on top of the cuts and reductions he has already made, would happen, as with police and fire, through personnel cuts. The court would cut clerks, reduce overtime, cut an education reimbursement program and reduce capital expenses (upgrades or repair money). Longo said a 15 percent cut would greatly impact service – long lines, longer waits for court cases, when calling you'd get an automated response and court would close 30 minutes earlier and during lunch.

"We can cut a full 15 percent – if you can live with the performance reductions that go along with it," Longo said. 

However, Longo said, when you start cutting at 20 percent, there would be an adverse effect on the community and revenue for the city. At 20 percent, cuts would reduce clerks further, completely eliminate the probation department (meaning no more probation) and cut the sobriety court program.

"These would be draconian cuts to the court," Longo said.

Longo said the court could lose $574,000 by trying to cut $253,000. "If we reduce our court, we're actually losing money."

Socially, Longo said, by removing the probation department, which the court isn't constitutionally required to have, there would be a negative impact. Without probation, Longo said, the recidivism rate for criminals increases dramatically. "These people are not exposed to probation, they are not finding new talents, getting off drugs … they get into the cycle," Longo said. "They come to me, I send them to jail, they come back, break the law, cops get them, they send them to me and I send them to jail."

Cutting the sobriety program, which is a specialized docket to address repeat drunken drivers, would also increase the recidivism rate for these offenders. "They would be 6.5 times more likely to reoffend," he said. "If we no longer have this program, there would be a 66 percent recidivism rate … and eliminating this program, people wood lose their jobs at a much higher rate. We're the only place in Michigan they can get a restricted license to drive to and from work."

The links below are what department heads for police and fire have suggested as part of their 15 percent and 20 percent cuts.