TOLEDO, Ohio — We're just a day away from learning more about the Lucas County 2024 budget, but it sounds like not all departments are getting what they asked for this Christmas.
There was an earlier dispute between Lucas County Commissioners and the Common Pleas Court on how much money should be given to them for next year.
The criminal justice system makes up the majority of the Lucas County annual budget, but the courts were unable to come to an agreement with the Lucas County Commissioners.
After failing to agree, the county commissioners requested and held a public hearing on Monday, just 24 hours before the upcoming annual budget is set to be announced.
During the meeting, the Lucas County Commissioners made a motion to approve the 2024 annual budget. On Tuesday, more will be announced about what the entire budget will be approved for.
But on Monday we learned that a little more than $14 million will go to the Common Pleas Court, with around $184,000 set aside out of the general criminal justice fund.
"The motion I made today is that we pass the budget that is proposed by the administration and yet it allows for cooperation and movement moving forward," Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak said.
The passed 2024 common pleas budget is less than what the courts wanted, which was $14.2 million. The disagreement is what led to Monday's special hearing.
"We've worked with them over the last three months. I've met many times with the presiding judge personally with my staff to try to get a number that we both agree on," said Commissioner Pete Gerken. "We haven't reached that yet, but we want to get their information on why they think they need $200,000 more than what our analysis tells them."
No one from the Common Pleas Court attended Monday's hearing.
The Honorable Judge Michael Goulding, the county's presiding judge who represents the Common Pleas Court, provided WTOL 11 with earlier correspondence between commissioners, reading:
"While we disagree, we nonetheless share your goal of fiscal responsibility and accountability. Unfortunately, given the two business days' notice of the date and time of the hearing notice, we will be unable to adequately prepare and attend Monday's noontime meeting."
Goulding was unable to attend Monday's meeting because of a jury trial.
With Monday's motion, the courts will have the time to revise their expenses and continue conversations with commissioners.
"We are always open to looking at what the departments need, what the other elected officials need to carry out the work of being great public servants to the community," Skeldon Wozniak said.
The complete 2024 Lucas County budget will be announced Tuesday during the commissioner meeting.
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