County government, suddenly facing a financial crisis, is contemplating 20-40 layoffs from a workforce of 110.

Such layoffs could bring county government to a halt. They are expected to affect every department except the jail as officials struggle to come up with $932,000 in savings. The York County Sheriff’s Office is considering cutbacks that would substantially reduce police patrols and criminal investigations. Similar reductions are on the table for other county offices.

The consequences of this problem could be grave, but it does not arise from a lack of money. It’s a political and administrative crisis, so we hope a resourceful public official can come up with a solution.

The cause was a simple misunderstanding. The county budget seems to be adequately funded, but a new state rule limits the use of jail revenue.

York County Jail earns money by boarding state prisoners. This year, for the first time, state rules restrict the use of this income to the jail. At budget time there was confusion on this point and the projected $932,000 in income was allocated to the general fund ”“ where it does not belong.

State and local governments can be expected to look on the county’s latest problems with exasperation. Under a previous administration, the county had to be rescued from a deep deficit by a rescue team assembled by the county’s cities and towns.

But this time the county was helped into a difficult situation by legislators and the Baldacci administration, who insisted on consolidating county jails with the state correctional system. Besides locking up $932,000 in jail boarding revenue, this arrangement commits almost $8.7 million  in county funds to the operation of the jail.

State government has looked after its own interests in the consolidation law, but pain from the new arrangement will be felt throughout York County.

The Sheriff’s Office, which provides police protection for 14 rural towns, is now looking at plans to curtail operations. The department, which received 19,000 calls for service in 2008, will be stretched very thin, predicted Chief Deputy Mathew Baker.

The district attorney’s office is already coping with a growing load of criminal cases and a small staff. York County Superior Court Justice G. Arthur Brennan said layoffs of DA staff would impose a serious burden on the judiciary.

Those with wills awaiting review by the Registry of Probate might make no objection to a slowdown, but efficiency at the Registry of Deeds is essential to the real estate industry.

The only bright spot is that there are no money problems at all at the York County Jail. In fact, the same day that commissioners were considering major layoffs, they approved the hiring of five additional corrections officers.

— Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen Schulze Muszynski or Nick Cowenhoven at 282-1535 or kristenm@journaltribune.com or nickc@journaltribune.com.