Washington County budgets for hiring major-crimes prosecutor

It appears Washington County soon will have its first major-crimes prosecutor to declare war on rackets such as organized retail theft and sex trafficking.

County Attorney Pete Orput asked for commissioners' support for the new position — and got it — during the first public presentation of the county's 2016 budget last week. Orput said his appeal to add the high-profile prosecutor results from the growing intrusion of serial crime that requires extensive coordination "in the investigative stage of prosecution" with law enforcement.

"There are criminals out there. If we put some effort to it, we can hold them to account," he told the five commissioners about a two-year experiment. "I want to see if we can make a difference."

Commissioner Lisa Weik, who represents Woodbury, supported Orput's request and noted that it fit into a budget pattern of finding new resources to manage a county growing by 2,500 residents a year.

"Washington County is a beautiful place to live, but we're not immune to the darker side of society," Weik said. "I do think we need to invest more in law enforcement, in criminal justice, as our county continues to grow."

The presentation by Kevin Corbid, the county's deputy administrator, was the first look at a budget that remains in flux until a preliminary board vote in mid-September and final approval in December.

As it now stands, the budget calls for a 3.49 percent increase in the county's net tax levy, proposed at $92.8 million. That increase would add $18 in county property tax — raising it to $688 — for an owner of a house valued at $237,400, Corbid told commissioners.

Corbid reminded commissioners that "the county has a cautious approach to adding new staff," but said more public demand for services, along with new labor agreements and other personnel costs, spurred the proposed addition of 16.5 new jobs in county offices.

Twelve of those jobs would be paid through levy funding, he said.

The county has struggled in recent years to retain workers at competitive metro wages in part because many county employees didn't receive pay raises during the recession.

Commissioner Ted Bearth said budgeting for increased labor costs "is not as bad of an impact as losing employees and retraining new ones." Employees need resources to help them cope with greater public expectations for services, he said.

On another budget issue, Corbid said the county will receive less program aid — money the state commits to help pay for services it requires — in part because of a funding formula that takes into account its expanding tax base.

"The state had over $800 million left on their bottom line with their state budget," said Bigham, of Cottage Grove, elected to the board last fall. "To not come up with some sort of mechanism to help the counties pay for the mandates they impose on us is, to say the least, frustrating and disappointing."

Next year's total operating expenses, excluding capital costs and debt, currently stand at $157.2 million, while money budgeted for capital improvements was reduced 25 percent over 2015.

The proposed levy increase, while the largest in recent years, still lags behind inflation, Bigham said.

"I think this County Board recognizes that people haven't completely recovered from the economic downturn," said Commissioner Fran Miron.

More division managers will present their budgets in coming weeks, as Orput did for the county attorney's office, to prepare for the board's Sept. 15 preliminary vote. It's a busy time for county leaders.