34 replies · 1,267 views · Locked
ReceiptsPlease · June 4, 2026, 10:03 p.m.
Starting one thread for the actual District 2 budget numbers because three conversations are mixing the sheriff request, the existing sheriff budget, and the reserve.
Current annual baselines are $18.4 million for the sheriff and $12.6 million for county health. The sheriff requested another $1.8 million annually at full implementation.
Halenwick would reject that request and move $1.8 million from the existing sheriff baseline to health, resulting in $16.6 million sheriff / $14.4 million health. Caldridge would cut health by $2.8 million, resulting in $9.8 million health; $1.8 million goes to the sheriff request for a $20.2 million sheriff budget and $1 million supports half of her $2 million annual aggregate tax-reduction target.
I got those figures from the E-Gazette candidate-questionnaire report. If any number above is wrong, quote the number and correct it with a source. “One hates safety” and “one hates health” are not numbers.
OldFord87 · June 4, 2026, 10:24 p.m.
Thank you. People keep saying Martha merely declined an increase. No: her plan also reduces the current sheriff baseline by $1.8 million. She says vacancies, overtime, patrol flexibility, and replacement schedules would absorb consequences, but they are consequences.
LibrarySteps · June 4, 2026, 10:51 p.m.
And Nora’s $2.8 million is a 22.2 percent county-health reduction, not “administrative trimming.” Her stated consequences include closing one satellite clinic, shorter hours at two sites, ending county-funded mobile outreach, and reducing housing coordination and administrative contracts.
BoltsAndBeans · June 4, 2026, 11:17 p.m.
Do either of them have a plan where my tax bill goes down and all services improve, preferably while the bridge fixes itself overnight?
ReceiptsPlease · June 5, 2026, 6:42 a.m.
No. Caldridge identifies $1 million from the health cut for half the tax target, $600,000 from assessment-growth headroom, and $400,000 in expected recurring review savings. The last amount has to be actual recurring savings, not a one-time refund. Halenwick proposes targeted relief, not the same $2 million aggregate reduction.
WrenMom3 · June 5, 2026, 7:08 a.m.
Where does the reserve fit? I heard $12.4 million and then $8 million and thought someone was spending $4.4 million.
ReceiptsPlease · June 5, 2026, 7:29 a.m.
Halenwick says maintain an $8 million reserve floor and use up to $1.6 million one time for documented capital backlog. That does not mean spending everything above $8 million, and the one-time capital amount is not a recurring operating source. Caldridge emphasizes a higher reserve cushion and performance reviews. Different category from the annual sheriff/health transfers.
SoftballUncle · June 5, 2026, 8:13 a.m.
I want deputies available in Harker’s Ford… also used the satellite clinic twice last year… everybody’s spreadsheet is somebody’s Tuesday…
CreekWatch · June 5, 2026, 9:02 a.m.
That is where I land. The forecasts are still forecasts. Halenwick argues earlier health access could prevent crises. Caldridge argues added sheriff capacity and a managed transition could improve safety and value. Neither result has happened yet.
sparrowlane · June 5, 2026, 11:46 a.m.
Would the District 2 commissioner personally order the clinic to close or move deputies?
JulesAtLarge · June 5, 2026, 12:08 p.m.
One commissioner would be one vote on a five-member commission. The proposals describe budget priorities and resulting service choices; neither candidate would act alone.
mod_cedar · June 6, 2026, 9:14 a.m.
Moderator note: two replies were removed for making unsupported claims about another member’s employer. Discuss the proposals. Do not investigate or guess who a username belongs to.
ReceiptsPlease: “If any number above is wrong, quote the number and correct it with a source.”
PineBox · June 6, 2026, 10:37 a.m.
The totals add up. What does not add up is pretending either choice has no service tradeoff. I lean sheriff, but closing a clinic is still closing a clinic.
doghairdaily · June 6, 2026, 12:19 p.m.
i lean health because mobile outreach helped somebody in my family. not giving details. that doesn’t make people worried about response time bad people.
OldFord87 · June 7, 2026, 8:20 a.m.
Thirty years ago we argued about whether the county should own one ambulance or two. Same habit now: turn a budget decision into a character test, then act surprised that the arithmetic stays put.
Nineteen intermediate replies are condensed in this read-only archive.
mod_cedar · June 9, 2026, 11:58 a.m.
Final warning: the last round returned to guessing members’ identities after two removals. The opening figures and corrections can remain visible; personal claims cannot.
JulesAtLarge · June 9, 2026, 12:38 p.m.
For the archived record: the thread was locked for conduct, not because budget discussion is prohibited. The exact totals in the opening post remain consistent with the candidates’ published clarifications.
Topic locked by mod_cedar after this reply.