Hinds faces budget pinch

The Clarion-Ledger, 6/3/8

With four months still left in the fiscal year, Hinds County already has spent the $2 million it has budgeted for inmate medical expenses.

The county took $101,000 from its reserve fund Monday to pay an inmate’s medical claim but cannot pay a separate $800,000 hospital bill.

Hinds County has about $206,000 in the bank in reserve for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Ideally, it should have about $2.5 million in reserve.

“The cost of providing medical care has gone up,” supervisors President Peggy Calhoun said.