County commissioners meet as their budget deadline nears

County commissioners from across the state will have a chance to swap ideas for how many ways to stretch a dollar at a fall conference starting Monday. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania meets in Hershey, Dauphin County this week for their annual fall meeting.

CCAP ‘s members may not be sweating any kind of fiscal cliff, but big spending decisions are due soon. Counties must submit budget proposals by the end of the month, and final spending plans must be adopted by the end of the year.

Doug Hill, the association’s executive director, said making spending decisions is never easy, but this going to be another tough budget season.

“Most of the counties have already put budgets on the table that either propose either significant cuts or tax increases or a mix,” he said.

“What we’re really trying to do is share the best ideas on how we can take limited resources and still provide quality resources to all of our constituents,” added Hill.

Counties will have a chance to learn more about a state program allowing a set of counties – including Allegheny, Dauphin, and Lancaster – more flexibility with their human services funding. They’ll also be privy to an explainer on the the package of prison reforms passed this year by the General Assembly. The changes aim to bring down the state’s inmate population by keeping more of them in county prisons and locally-run rehabilitation programs.

coun