Washington and Coos county commissioners among many grappling with budget shortfalls

More than half of all counties in Oregon are facing budget shortfalls and cuts to programs and services. In Washington County, officials are proposing more than $25 million in reductions to the $2 billion budget that would include eliminating jobs and services.

In Coos County, the sheriff’s department released some of those serving time in its jail last year. In 2024, county voters turned down two different tax levies to fund government services. Even after making cuts, Coos County still faces a gap of about $1.8 million.

John Sweet is one of the three commissioners that govern Coos County. Kathryn Harrington is the chair of the Washington County Commission. They both join us to share more about the budget challenges and how they’re thinking about potential cuts to programs and services for their residents.

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