Commissioners closed the $35 million gap by:
• eliminating over 100 positions;
• consolidating several County departments;
• imposing tough across-the-board spending caps on purchases for goods, services and the complete elimination of certain items;
• givebacks of Commissioners’ salaries and salary freezes of all employees.

They filled this gap while keeping their commitment not to raise taxes.

Despite the cuts, Commissioners were able to honor their commitment to public safety:
• They rejected recommendations that might have reduced Sheriff road patrols in county townships
• They supported the increased prosecution of the County’s most violent offenders through Project Disarm, which guarantees tough, federal sentences for those violating gun laws; as well as Countywide SWAT and Search and Rescue efforts
• They supported additional funding for Coroner O’Dell Owens’ work to solve crimes
• They supported continuing the work of the Criminal Justice Commission, and the reforms it is undertaking to relieve jail overcrowding
• They proposed a funding partnership with the City of Cincinnati in an effort to reestablish OTR Patrols in the future, and will explore creating Countywide Hotspot Patrols

Commissioners also focused on the economic growth of the county by restoring investments in the Hamilton County Development Corporation, as well as the Regional Planning Department’s effort to help communities across Hamilton County grow.

The Commission continued to invest in efforts to consolidate services among multiple levels of government throughout the County, in order to improve services and reduce the long-term tax burden on citizens.

“Citizens want us to do more with less, and today all three commissioners united around a budget that does exactly that,” Pepper said. “We are making the necessary cuts to live within our means without raising taxes, but continuing to invest in public safety and economic growth.”