At its last General Session meeting of 2020, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners passed what County Administrator Kenneth N. Wilson described as “responsible, sustainable, and forward-focused” budget, while also acknowledging that the challenges of 2020 are likely to continue for some time.
As the administrative arm of county government, the three county commissioners oversee 14 county agencies directly, and set the budget for all other agencies and elected offices as well. The board held three public hearings on the budget last month before voting on a revised proposal today. The county’s 2021 All Funds budget allocations total almost $1.8 billion, up just slightly from last year.
“This year has been an incredible challenge, and I expect that to continue for months to come,” said Board of Commissioners President John O’Grady. “But I can’t tell you how proud I am of the team we have here at Franklin County. We’ve had to help address the public health crisis, made unprecedented investments in the community, and taken big steps to support equity and social justice, all while simultaneously transitioning thousands of employees to working from home. Next year is also going to be challenging, but I know that our team is up to the task.”
The county’s all funds budget includes the General Fund as well as monies that come largely from state and federal grants. This year, as in most years, the largest category of the all funds budget is set aside for social services, with 42.2% allocated for agencies like Job and Family Services, ADAMH, the county Board of Developmental Disabilities, the Veterans Service Commission, and the Office on Aging.
“A budget is so much more than just dollars and cents. It’s really a profile of your priorities, and our residents have always been the priority in Franklin County,” said Commissioner Marilyn Brown. “Our commitment to serving every resident of Franklin County every day has never been more important than now when we are facing the twin challenges of COVID-19 and an economic recession.”
The county’s General Fund budget expenditures are down about 4%, while revenue is down about 10% due in large part to lower-than-expected sales tax revenue in the down economy and the loss of federal Coronavirus Relief Funds at the end of this year. The county will be able to make up the difference with funds from its unrestricted cash balance, leaving the Rainy Day Fund untouched at $62.5 million. Revenue for the General Fund is made up mostly of taxes and fees, and 58.4% of this spending is budgeted for public safety purposes such as the county’s courts, jail, and sheriff’s office.
“We’ll be feeling the effects of the pandemic and associated economic slowdown for a long time,” said Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce. “We are planning ahead and preparing to whether the coming economic storm because at far greater risk are the thousands of families all over our community who are struggling right now through no fault of their own. A large part of this 2021 budget is aimed at supporting them.”
The commissioners asked almost all General Fund agencies to plan for a 2.5% reduction in 2021 due to the expected reduction in revenue, but funding for some of their highest priority programs remains steady or is even increased. The commissioners have aligned their policy priorities in recent years with the recommendations of the
Rise Together Blueprint for Addressing Poverty, including recognizing racism a root cause of poverty and working to reduce other barriers such as access to quality affordable housing. The 2021 budget includes a $2.5 million allocation for the Rise Together Innovation Center, and more than $1 million for a new pilot Family Stabilization Initiative to provide wraparound services for the families of young men of color who are facing minor charges in the criminal justice system. The budget also continues to fund diversity and inclusion positions in the commissioners’ office and at Franklin County Public Health, and racial equity training for county leadership and partners, as well as other efforts to alleviate disparate outcomes in employment, education, housing, healthcare, and criminal justice.
The full 2021 Franklin County Budget can be found at
budget.franklincountyohio.gov. The commissioners’ first meeting of 2021 will be Tuesday, January 5
th.