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instead of being sent to state prisons. This will help <br />solve prison overcrowding for the state and cut their <br />costs. The hitch is that they don't intend to pay <br />county government for taking care of the prisoners. If <br />this is passed, it means that Cabarrus County's new <br />jail that is bought and paid for will be immediately to <br />small and county taxpayers will be forced to build <br />another one costing $4-5 million. Mandates are a <br />serious problem. <br /> <br />State and federal governments are running deficits and <br />don't want to raise their taxes. Ironically the <br />federal government is talking about cutting taxes. <br />Their solution to expanding their spending programs is <br />to mandate them on local governments such as counties <br />and cities and force them to raise taxes to pay for <br />these expansions. <br /> <br />The loss of $3.? mi/lion in reimbursements is 18 months <br /> and there are those that are hoping the law cau be <br /> away <br />changed back before then. It would require an 8-10 <br />cent tax increase to replace this income if the law <br />stands. I don't feel we can adopt a wait an see <br />attitude on this issue. I think we should take a pro- <br />active response and assume we are going to lose the <br />money and put a plan together on how to absorb the loss <br />so we don't have to change our tax rate. <br /> <br />One step in such plan is the completion or our 5 year <br />plan which is almost done and is being adjusted for <br />these losses. The 5 year plan only addresses growth in <br />county government and does not examine where we can <br />~ossibly reduce costs. We need to look at cost <br />reductions now. <br /> <br />No one knows county operations better than our <br />employees. Hence no one is in a better position to <br /> cost savings than the that do the <br />suggest <br /> employees <br />work of delivering services everyday. I would suggest <br />to the board that we authorize a program of employee <br />"Cost Containment Teams" {CCTs), to come up with ideas <br />on how to reduce costs. As a part of that program I <br />would suggest that we offer an incentive program, like <br />many corporations, to encourage employees to be <br />creative. <br /> <br />I would suggest the following program. Within each <br />department teams of six or less would be formed. Teams <br />would be made up of first line employees, excluding the <br />supervisors, to encourage discussion and participation. <br />Each team would elect a teem leader to conduct team <br /> <br /> <br />