07/01/08

Jerome County Sheriff Jim Weaver presented his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year to the county commissioners.

Weaver is finishing up his third four year term this year, and doesn't plan on running for office again.

That means Weaver's successor will have to make do with the budget that the commissioners finally approve - along with facing plenty of challenges.

Weaver said, "The illegal immigrants, if we didn't have that problem, we could easily house all our prisoners in Jerome County right here. The solution, of course, is expediting their process through the judicial system."

Weaver asked for a 14 percent increase from last year's budget - which would bring the total amount up to just over $1.6 Million for the next fiscal year.

He says rising fuel costs have caused him to implement measures to conserve gasoline - including putting two officers in a police car and leaving one vehicle behind - instead of taking two cars out.