The Lehigh County Commissioners presented the proposed 2014 budget at their Oct. 9 meeting.

If approved, it would result in $2.4 million in budget cuts, reducing the budget deficit from $10.3 million to $7.9 million.

The commissioners brought 13 amendments forward, sparking members of some county departments to present their cases for maintaining funding. Areas proposed for funding reduction in the 2014 budget include court administration, corrections, regional crime center, IT, Cedarbrook Nursing Home and the 911 center.

"It's really a very troubling budget," Commissioner Vic Mazziotti said. "It's an unsustainable budget. We are spending money out of our savings."

District Court Administrator William Berndt spoke in opposition to the reduction of $308,657 from the IT personnel budget.

"We have some programs, we do need the expertise of those folks," he said.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin concurred with Berndt.

"It's important to keep it fully staffed," Martin said.

Commissioner Scott Ott said the commissioners are tasked to find areas and ways to reduce spending and IT was a department they collectively felt comfortable with reducing funding.

The proposed 2014 budget also seeks to cut $104,376 from the full-time employees line item and $41,959 from fringe benefits from court administration.

Lehigh County President Judge Carol McGinley said the budget to fund current staff is essential to maintaining court efficiency, order and safety. McGinley said staff assigned to an individual judge ranges from one to three persons.

"The tip staff is a very necessary person that leads to greater efficiency and to fewer mistakes being made," she said.

Ott said he was concerned the county may not provide adequate staff to individual judges.

"I'm seriously concerned," he said.

Also proposed is a $250,000 reduction to the regional crime center. Martin stressed the necessity of maintaining the current system which he said aides greatly in the location and apprehension of criminal suspects. Martin said the crime center helped in solving the Jan. 26 murder of Tyree Wimberly at Scoobies Gentlemans Club, Bethlehem.

"I don't have a crystal ball ... I am advised $100,000 is not enough," Martin said of the cap on funding the program.

The commissioners also proposed reducing the operating budget of Cedarbrook Nursing Home by $500,000.

"The purpose of this amendment is to encourage and put a little pressure on Cedarbook's management firm to find a way to reduce expenses or increase revenues," Mazziotti said.

Commissioner Percy Dougherty added the $500,000 reduction could lead Cedarbrook to develop strategies in increasing its residential population.

Other budget cuts recommended by various commissioners included a $329,295 reduction to physician services for corrections, elimination of same sex spouse health care benefits, reduction of $8,000 to the commissioners auditing services and $26,000 for a part-time employee, and a reduction of $128,244 to the chief of staff budget.

The commissioners will vote on the final 2014 budget 7 p.m. Oct. 23 in Room 408 of the Government Center, 17 S. Seventh St., Allentown.