As Hamilton County crafts its fiscal 2012 budget, two Hamilton County Commissioners say layoffs are possible - and not just from the Health Department, which is already facing steep cuts if a sales tax agreement between the city and the county is allowed to expire.
"As far as I'm concerned between job cuts and raising taxes, there will be job cuts," Commissioner Fred Skillern said.
Chairman Larry Henry said job cuts to other county departments are "always a possibility."
"Everything is on the table right now," Henry said.
Skillern also addressed comments made by Councilwoman Deborah Scott during Tuesday's Chattanooga City Council meeting. Scott said county officials had made comments that have demeaned the city and that were calculated to "humiliate city taxpayers."
Skillern did not have a direct response saying, "Budget time is like other times in life. A lot of thing are said, a lot of things are done."
Commissioner Mitch McClure compared budget time to having a baby.
See tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press for complete coverage.