PRESS RELEASE Contact -Patti Milne

MAY 25, 2000 

MILNE OK*S BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WITH CONDITIONS

Commissioner Patti Milne agreed to send the Marion County recommended

budget to the Board of Commissioners yesterday, but insisted that she

would only be able to support it in June if certain conditions are

met. Milne, who has been consistently striving for a policy driven

budget, said although progress has been made, there is still a lot of

work to do.

*We still haven*t made some basic policy decision, and until we do,

we*ll merely be rubber stamping a budget without providing the

leadership and accountability that taxpayers expect,* she said.

Commissioner Milne is particularly concerned with the Data Center and

Sheriff*s Department budgets. On Monday, Milne approved additional

funds for two deputy positions, but made the decision contingent on

the results of independent financial audits scheduled for the

Sheriff*s Department. She restated her position that without

accountability, the Board of Commissioners must not approve putting

more money into the department that has been plagued with financial

problems over the past few months.

*Public safety is my priority. I do not support putting a cap on the

jail, and I want to see more, not fewer, deputies on the street,*

Milne said. *But we have to be prudent with the dollars we have, and

make sure they are being spent in the most cost effective and

efficient way,* she continued.

Milne did not approve any expenditures for the Data Center. The

Center, which provides computer support and programming for the City

of Salem, as well as the County, has been described as a black hole.

After failing to get the budget committee to agree to a budget note

recommending the Board of Commissioners adopt a formal policy defining

the relationship between Marion County and the Data Center before

final adoption of the budget on June 14, Milne could not support Data

Center expenditures.

*I am very disappointed that this committee wasn*t prepared to tackle

this issue,* Milne said. *I*ve been asking for 17 months for a Date

Center policy. It*s a very difficult issue and a lot of good people

are working hard, but until this Board is willing to grapple with

these hard decisions, we cannot expect any progress,* she maintained.

However, Milne did express her hope that the Board will approve a

resolution on the Data Center before June 14. The recommended budget

for the Data Center is $3.2 million.