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lower than the county's growth in population and the growth in inflation. However, inadequate state <br />resources threaten our ability to continue providing the core functions of county government at a <br />reasonable cost to county property taxpayers. <br />Washington County continues to implement service delivery changes in order to minimize costs. <br />However, in recent years, the state has eased its own fiscal problems by shifting certain costs and <br />responsibilities to the counties. <br />The combination of passing on costs, and inadequate increases in county aid to pay for increased costs <br />to provide mandated services, is eroding the few county services that serve the public at large. These <br />factors, when taken together, are significantly impairing our ability to maintain and expand our core <br />services during a period of increasing population and changing demographics, and the corresponding <br />pressure for citizen and safety net services. <br />Counties have identified many mandated services that could be repealed, reformed or funded. For <br />example, the state could eliminate the county share of certain state court costs, reduce the mental <br />health services maintenance of effort, eliminate recently adopted increases in the county cost share for <br />many human service programs, and eliminate costly requirements for publications of county financial <br />information and instead allow for web publication. <br />Support and Opposition: <br />Support will come from other counties and other local governments that seek mandate relief. <br />Opposition may come from those that support mandates. <br />Previous Consideration: <br />The county has advocated this position for many years. <br />No Action: <br />Counties will continue to be responsible for new, unfunded mandates that will likely result in increasing <br />pressure on local property taxpayers. <br />4 <br />