Why not cut expenses and reduce costs?

Lenawee County has taken several steps over the last eight years to reduce costs and contain expenses.  For example:

  • Lenawee County was an early adopter of defined contribution retirement.  Over 50% of County employees are now on this plan.
  • Lenawee County created an incentive program to encourage some workers to retire reducing total employment, costs and not adding to the unemployment rate.
  • Lenawee County switched to high deductible health insurance plans.
  • Lenawee County employees received no pay increase from 2010 through 2013 and absorbed increase benefit costs at the same time.
  • Lenawee County has never provided post-employment healthcare.
  • Lenawee County improved energy efficiency in all County buildings.  Two buildings, the Judicial Building and Human Services Building, are Energy Star rated at 90+ percent.  In addition to saving energy and expense this has the added benefit of making the Human Services Building an attractive office space. 
    • Lenawee County also has the unique benefit of having many of our social service programs housed in a single building.  The Human Services Building is an investment on the part of the County made nearly 30 years ago to create a one stop shop for a variety of county, state and federal services.  It is a real asset to the County and a benefit to the public that know they can receive most of their services in the same building.  
  • Lenawee County developed a Capital Improvement plan to maintain County facilities and equipment.  We are planning for the future as opposed to operating on an emergency basis.
  • Lenawee County works with other counties and jurisdictions to reduce costs.•Lenawee County created specialty courts to address the causes of criminal behavior and reduce jail costs.
  • Lenawee County created a land bank to repurpose problem tax foreclosed properties and address blight conditions.

Show All Answers

1. What will the ballot question say?
2. What will the proposed impact be on my taxes?
3. What will Lenawee County do if the renewal passes?
4. What services will continue as a result of the renewal?
5. What County services are MANDATED and which are NON-MANDATED?
6. What does the 2018 Budget A and Budget B summary look like?
7. Why did the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners initiate discussion about the Tax Allocation Board?
8. What information did the Tax Allocation Board consider to determine the best course of action?
9. Was renewal of the previous tax limitation the only option that the allocation board considered?
10. What exactly did the Tax Allocation Board do?
11. What governmental bodies are effected by the tax limitation renewal?
12. What action has the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners taken?
13. The economy has been improving for several years now and the unemployment rate has dropped; why is the Lenawee County revenue stream so flat?
14. Why didn’t Lenawee County have a rainy day fund to get through the tough spots?
15. Why not cut expenses and reduce costs?