Thread: MA-Sheriff's reprieve may be short-lived

Sheriff's reprieve may be short-lived


By Jay Pateakos
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted May 06, 2009 @ 06:29 PM
Last update May 06, 2009 @ 09:33 PM

Dartmouth — Call it a stay of execution, but it could be a short one.

With Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson’s budget set to run out of payroll money at the end of this week, County Treasurer Kevin Finnerty said federal funds have been made available to the county as reimbursement for the sheriff’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement incarcerations. That will allow the sheriff enough funds to pay his workers for one more week — to the end of May 16, he said.

Finnerty said with legislation pending that could make Bristol County a state-run entity, the thought was that funds typically reimbursed to the sheriff for housing immigration detainees would be paid to the state when the conversion takes place July 1 — if the legislation passes, but Finnerty argued that because those funds are from incarcerations for the current fiscal year, it's money that should go to the county instead.

“The county can not fully fund the sheriff’s shortfall, but this will at least help for roughly 10 days,â€

Stimulus money to maintain only if they use 287g Program, Federal needs to pay....