Given the state’s $6.2 billion budget deficit, cuts are rarely a surprise. But Correctional Services Director Steve King is trying to maintain his chunk of the pie.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections has been slowly reducing funding to Mower County Correctional Services.

“We’ve been really underfunded by a long shot for the last five, six, seven years,” Corrections Director Steve King said.

Under the county probation system, statute calls for the state DOC to reimburse counties for 50 percent of probation officers’ salaries.

While statute calls for a 50 percent reimbursement, the DOC has been hard pressed to reimburse more than 40 percent since 2005. In 2009, the county only received a 36 percent reimbursement.

“Thirty-six (thousand dollars) is not acceptable to anybody,” King said. The funding for 2010 won’t come until June, but King said he expects it to be around 36 percent again. That money has added up.

King estimated his office has lost out on about $240,000 in the last five years.

“It’s these last few years that have really hurt us,” King said.

King said the DOC is interpreting the statute as requiring reimbursements of up to 50 percent if the funding is available. Others read it as stating the DOC must reimburse the full 50 percent. King said he didn’t see the cuts as an underhanded move, as the state simply doesn’t have the money.

“The reality is they didn’t have it,” King said.

Other corrections employees aren’t as understanding.

“Other directors around the state that do what I do are a little more cantankerous … about this than I am,” he said.

While King said he understands the pickle the state is in, he said it’s aggravating to not get money agencies rely on. However, he said that’s been the theme for many state agencies.

“All these agencies that the state runs … they’re all getting less, and they’re all supposed to be doing more for less,” King said.

When the state cuts the funding, the burden falls on the county board and local tax payers.

“The department of corrections isn’t getting their full allotment because they’re (the state) making cuts, so they turn those cuts onto us,” King said. “It’s just typical, normal trickle down government.”

So far, King said he’s been able to budget for the lost funds and work around the cuts. Corrections receives two state grants to help subsidize the corrections budget. If those were removed, King said his office would be greatly affected.

While King doesn’t expect to see cuts to his grants, he said he doesn’t expect the state to up its funding anytime soon.

“I’d be surprised if we ever get above 40 again,” King said.