The Grays Harbor County Commissioners have not shied away from criticizing the state for “unfunded mandates,” and the Monday, Nov. 20, commission meeting was no different in that sense.

As has been the case in the past, the commissioners were critical of the indigent defense grant funding provided by the state.

The commissioners are set to receive $78,000 from the state Office of Public Defense to help pay for indigent defense costs in 2018, however the commissioners say that money doesn’t come close to covering the costs. In the past, Commissioner Randy Ross has called the grant “a pittance.”

Indigent defense covers the costs of an attorney for defendants who can’t afford to pay for one. Since the 1960s, indigent defense has been required in Washington State because of a Supreme Court decision. Counties foot a majority of the bill.

For 2017, the commissioners are expecting to pay some $1.1 million for indigent defense. On Monday, Nov. 20, the commissioners postponed voting for a grant agreement that would have accepted the $78,000.

Commissioner Randy Ross said Lewis County was set to receive $200,000 from the state Office of Public Defense.

Lewis County Commissioner Edna Fund said Ross’ figure was accurate. Lewis County is set to receive $200,000 for 2018 and is on track to spend $1.5 million on public defense in 2017.

In a telephone conversatioe on Monday, Fund seemed to share the Grays Harbor County commissioners’ criticisms, also referring to the cost of indigent defense as an “unfunded mandate.”

“It came to the state and they pushed it down to us, and it’s just really frustrating,” Fund said.

Lewis County had a population of about 76,000 in the 2010 census. Grays Harbor had about 73,000 in the same census.

The Grays Harbor County commissioners on Monday thought it worthwhile to postpone the agreement to research the disparity in grant funding between Grays Harbor and Lewis counties.

“I don’t understand what the allocation formula is. It’s all over the board,” Commissioner Ross said.

As for Grays Harbor County, it is looking at an operating deficit for 2018. The general fund budget has been tight for several years, and 2018 will not be different. The commissioners want the state to cover the costs of indigent defense. Many states in the U. S. pay for indigent defense completely.

The commissioners brought up the issue during the legislative summit at Grays Harbor County last month, and 24th District Rep. Mike Chapman said the state’s responsibility is education and the county’s responsibility is public safety.

Commissioner Ross was critical of Chapman’s perspective.

“I don’t necessarily disagree with Representative Chapman other than the way it’s funded,” Ross said. “We certainly do the state’s part when it comes to collection of taxes and remitting those to the state. And we get no funding in our elected offices for doing that.”

“And they’re happy to take our cannabis tax and provide minimal back,” Commissioner Vickie Raines added.

The county is expecting to receive $29,000 in marijuana taxes despite the tax generating $2 million in Grays Harbor County, Ross noted.

The difference between what’s raised by the county and what’s returned in marijuana taxes also was discussed at length during the legislative summit.

During the Nov. 20 meeting, Raines also brought up the state-mandated ballot boxes. Earlier this year, the state passed legislation that says each county must have ballot boxes in any community with a post office, as well as in other locations meeting specific requirements. In total, the county will need to install more than a dozen ballot boxes, and that costs money. The costs aren’t just installation, Raines noted, it’s also ongoing maintenance.

When asked how the state could fund indigent defense and ballot box installations when faced with budget issues caused by the McCleary education fix Raines said, “then why implement measures or laws that require us to put ballot boxes up? It seems to me the state continues to cut its nose off to spite its face.”

According to the clerk to the board of commissioners Jenna Amsbury, the commissioners will need to approve the agreement by the end of the month to receive the $78,000. The commissioners will hold a special meeting at 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 27. The morning meeting and regular afternoon meeting on Nov. 27 have been canceled “due to the prior holiday,” according to the commissioners’ agenda.