ALFRED — A groundswell of support for food pantry funding from about 60 demonstrators along Route 111 in front of the York County Court House Wednesday wasn’t enough to persuade York County Commissioners to fund the food pantry, which operates as part of York County Shelter Programs.

Commissioners removed about $32,000 in food pantry funding from the $18.2 million proposed 2012 county budget Wednesday, but put $15,000 back in for a mapping program.

The package will be sent back to the York County Budget Committee for their review. If the budget committee decides to stick with their own figures, which include $32,000 for the food pantry and none for the mapping program, then the document becomes the county’s 2012 budget.

But commissioners are the policy makers and are not obligated to spend the money.

The commissioner’s meeting was standing-room only, with a crowd that spilled out into the hall. Several spoke, most advocating for funding, but some said they didn’t want to use tax money for charitable efforts.

Kathy Coles of Alfred carried a sign that said “don’t tithe my taxes.” She said while she agrees there’s a need for the pantry, it shouldn’t be funded by tax dollars.

A shelter client who now volunteers in the food pantry disagreed, and said she’s benefited from the organization’s programs.

“The shelter saved my life,” she said. “I don’t want to see people go hungry, because I’ve been there.”

Ann Arnold, an Alfred resident who teaches school in Sanford, said one child told her she had five crackers for supper.

“If it’s not the government’s role to help those most in need, than what is government’s role?” asked Rick Arsenault.

“Jesus said feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. I suggest you listen to God, the rest will take care of itself,” said Rev. Rosemary Ananis of Wells.

A woman from Kennebunkport had a different view: “Yes, we should trust in God. God will take care of us, not tax dollars,” she said.

Commissioners Gary Sinden and Richard Dutremble said they’d been reading the annual budgets for York County Shelter Programs.

Sinden said the executive director of the shelter receives a six-figure salary, and noted other social service agencies that previously received county funding, to his knowledge, didn’t get that amount. Sinden also pointed to budget figures that showed hefty increases in the amount paid out for salaries.

He asked budget committee Chairman John Sylvester if the budget panel had reviewed the shelter budgets. Sylvester said it hadn’t and suggested Sinden talk to shelter officials about his concerns.

Sinden also asked how the budget panel came to pick the food pantry over two other agencies that had applied for funding this year.

Budget committee member David James said that issue was discussed at length, but that the budget board knew how commissioners felt about funding the agencies ”“ they partially funded in 2011 and said they would no longer in future ”“ and picked the one that gives food to the hungry.

James also asked that the commissioners form a subcommittee to examine social service funding issues.

Sinden has long advocated that the municipalities should be funding the social service agencies, not the county. He noted that the Town of Eliot, where he lives, supports social service agency funding.

But he agreed with James that a standard method of funding needs to be established.

Commissioners agreed that the mapping program, at $15,000 with the remaining $15,000 cost to be paid through a federal reimbursement, would be beneficial to the county’s smaller communities. Commissioner David Bowles said while some of the larger municipalities already had online maps, the project would be out of reach financially for the smaller towns and said the maps are a useful tool for the county’s emergency management agency.

Commissioners also agreed to have County Manager Greg Zinser contact the town and city managers about social service funding and report back to them by Aug. 1.

Some who attended the meeting weren’t happy with the result.

“Unbelievable,” said Barbara Delaney of Kennebunk. “The next time someone comes to the shelter, we’ll give them a map to eat.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.