County Officials Sound Off on Medicaid

Published June 1, 2006

“It’s kind of crazy that we don’t have a Medicaid cap in place. Property values are fairly low, but our tax rate makes it very difficult to compete from an economic development standpoint. Something needs to be done! Our increase in Medicaid last year alone was 6 cents from a property tax standpoint.”
Scotland County Manager John Crumpton
Medicaid there totals $3.7 million, 10 percent of the local budget

“I would certainly like to see some relief, wherever that would come from. Since we’re the only state [that treats counties in this way], we should fix this problem.”
Columbus County Manager Jim Varner
Eleven percent of Columbus County’s budget goes to Medicaid

“The difference between counties just makes the case that Medicaid should be handled by the state as it is in every other state in the union. As this has developed over the years, the state is very selfish in their own revenues to the detriment of the counties. It’s almost scandalous.” Carteret County Manager John Langdon
About $3 million of the county’s $65 million budget is for Medicaid

“We have 44 percent of our county residents that are eligible. What it boils down to is that we don’t have money to provide for building new schools. The sales tax money goes to small projects or existing school capital issues. We have no money for parks or sheriff’s vehicles.”
Robeson County Manager Ken Windley
Medicaid takes up $13 million, 14 percent of the county’s general fund

— Chad Adams