Additional Sex Offender Costs Shift To Counties

ST. CLOUD -- County officials are saying it is just the latest example of how the state balances its budget by shifting the burden to counties. They're talking about a new state law that requires counties to pick up 25-percent of the cost for committing sexually dangerous people to state hospitals. Before this new law, counties paid 10-percent.

Stearns County Administrator George Rindelaub says it puts a real strain on the county's budget and taxpayers are left holding the bag.

Rindelaub says they have increased their budget from $140,000 this year to an estimated $205,000 in 2012.

He says they will have to make up for the additional costs somewhere, but they're not sure yet where the money will come from.  Rindelaub says the county wants to hold the line on taxes if possible though.