Hinds County Budget Cuts Jobs

By: Heather Burke | WJTV
Published: September 15, 2009

Hinds County leaders are cutting jobs to save money.
The Sheriff's Department is getting hit the hardest.
Some are actual layoffs, some are open positions that won't be filled. It's the result of Governor Barbour's recent 3% statewide budget cut.
Tuesday morning, the County Board of Supervisors voted to cut about 74 hinds county jobs. The Sheriff's Department is losing the most, with about 28 positions being cut.
Of those, about 18 are positions at the newly expanded jail.
"This is gonna make it difficult for us to do our job," said Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMilliin. "Are we going to be forced to make brick without straw? How are we gonna do our job without people necessary to do it? It's gonna impact on the safety and good order at the jail."
McMillin says one possible solution is transferring some deputies to work at the jail.
"We'll do what we have to in order to accomplish the mission," said McMillin. "Just won't be easy."
There are also 14 cuts taking place with the Public Works Department.
The Board of Supervisors said it had to do something now, but plans to go back to the drawing board in the future and see if they can come up with ways to find more money and bring back the jobs.
Overall, Hinds County is expected to save more than $2-million with these cuts.