St. Joseph County "Catastrophe" Looms

WNDU - News: "St. Joseph County officials are having a hard time finding words to describe the seriousness of their future financial situation.

Property tax revenues are projected to drop by $15-million over the next three years, by the county's own estimates.

That would force the county to cut its budget by 25-percent.

Right now, there's an assumption that anything that can be cut, will probably will be cut.

That could mean everything from closing the parks, to consolidating township fire departments, to taking police officers off the street.

“Statutorily the sheriff is only required to provide jailing and to service the courts and civil papers,” says County Commissioner Mark Dobson. “Technically road patrol by St. Joseph County Sheriff's Department is not required by the Indiana constitution.”"