Sheriff Hain presented the sheriff’s office budget to the Judicial & Public Safety Committee on Aug. 14, saying the department reduced non‑personnel general‑fund spending by about 13% but faces a larger submitted budget in 2026 because of negotiated salary increases under several collective‑bargaining agreements.

“We went from 7,200,000 in 2024 … and we cut our expenses down to 6,200,000. That’s a 13% decrease,” the sheriff said. He added that total submitted FY2026 spending largely reflects salary lines and totaled about $41,500,000—up from about $38,200,000 in 2024—because six bargaining-unit contracts were settled in the last two years.

To offset the salary-driven increase, the sheriff said the department will continue using asset‑forfeiture funds where legally permissible and is considering layoffs of exempt (non‑union) personnel. “I cannot and will not let go any frontline staff,” the sheriff said, adding that the contemplated reductions would affect exempt non‑union positions. He said any layoffs would be arranged to avoid cutting union-protected frontline staff.

The sheriff also reviewed recent changes to the jail population and operational costs. He said the county’s pretrial rules and other reforms reduced the jail population from a higher level down to roughly 350–360 daily, compared with about 550 when he took office. He said the department had to pay for housing detainees in other counties during earlier construction and relocation work and has at times redirected line‑item dollars internally to respond to emergency needs.

The committee asked about retirements and attrition; the sheriff said layoffs would be in addition to anticipated retirements and emphasized he would offer “attractive offers to help people exit out the door” rather than cutting frontline personnel. He also noted that asset forfeiture cannot be budgeted as a guaranteed revenue source but said the department has used it to replace operational expenses in some years.

No formal committee vote was taken on the sheriff’s budget at the meeting; the presentation was accepted for review.