The Governor's spring reforms to the minimum wage and the reforms in the fines and fees of the criminal justice system are anticipated to bring a heavy burden to DeWitt County.

County officials say the reforms to the criminal justice system, which will allow low-income defendants to apply for aid to have fines reduced, are making predicting revenues very difficult this year. 

On Regional Radio News yesterday, County administrator DeeDee Rentmeister told us fines and fees make up about 80-percent of the revenue for the County. She indicates not even local judges have much to offer in terms of what to expect with this change. DeWitt County Board Chair David Newberg says there is no history to know even a little bit about the impacts of this change. 

According to Newberg, the minimum wage hike is going to force costs to increase while the reforms of the criminal justice system are likely to bring revenues down. He adds, while many may point to the power plant as a possible source of a large chunk of the County budget, it isn't as impactful as other entities. The County sits in good standing with a five-year agreement for an assessed value of the power plant. 

County department heads have been understanding and Newberg and Rentmeister say it has helped them out but they are going to have to do more. Tomorrow on Regional Radio News we'll dive into the things the County is doing to make sure they have a balanced budget.