What experience do you have with multimilliondollar budgets?

John Ball: Since becoming Undersheriff in 2010, I have been responsible for an annual operating budget that covers six work centers and over $10.5 million. Prior to that, I was responsible for annual operating budgets between $4.7 and $18 million for nearly 15 years, and responsible for development of capital project budget projection and management exceeding $250million. Our team has brought in over $12.5million in grant money to Madison County in the past six years, and reduced the recidivism rate of prisoners by over 20percent – a savings of close to $750,000 in the past 3 years. We have reduced costs by implementing medical claim management procedures at the jail, saving over $700,000 in two years. I served as a member of the NY Rising Communities workgroup, responsible for bringing in $2.7 million to “build it better” after the catastrophic floods that crippled Oneida, DeRuyter, Eaton, Lebanon and Brookfield. Our STOP DWI program is one of just a handful in NYS that operate in the “black” – fines and donations cover the operating costs associated with this program. We partner with the US Drug Enforcement Administration on our war against drugs. We are partners in good standing with the NYS Division of Homeland Security, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, and private foundations. All of these efforts greatly reduce the burden to our taxpayers. Todd Hood: I worked for more than two decades at the Syracuse Police Department - a police agency with one of the largest budgets of any in Upstate New York. I’ve helped with budgeting here and there, but my real focus was on the community - taking action rather than sitting behind a desk pushing papers. I helped lead the SWAT Team to get drugs off our streets, served as a Deputized U.S. Marshall, fought crime on the Gang Task Force, and more. That’s the hands-on experience we need in our next Sheriff.