When government entities cut taxes that lead to revenue drops, O\u2019Hare said they must be business-minded in budgeting, which might entail cutting services or outsourcing to private companies.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot meet every single need of every single person that you perceive is out there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The county has cut $58 million from the budget since he entered office in January 2023, he said.<\/p>\n
In an interview with the Report after the speech, O\u2019Hare said a recent example of this was the elimination<\/a> of the county\u2019s Department of Human Services. That department offers rental and utility assistance to people in need. The county instead will give $2 million to outside organizations, which have not yet been named, to provide such services.<\/p>\n In fiscal year 2024, the Department of Human Services cost $2.5 million to run and spent about $1 million in county funding for direct aid, according to county data<\/a>. Opponents of the shutdown argued that human services should be given a chance to fix problems before being outsourced.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s very little that government does better than private business,\u201d O\u2019Hare said. \u201cWhether that private business is for-profit, nonprofit, if there is a way to find people in the community that can provide the service to meet the need, that\u2019s always something we look at.\u201d<\/p>\n On Aug. 19, two days before the luncheon, O\u2019Hare voted with fellow Republican commissioners to cut more than 100 Election Day voting centers <\/a>for the November election \u2014 a move county officials estimated would save about $1 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n O\u2019Hare told reporters the cut was a \u201csmart, prudent decision\u201d because fewer people turn out to vote in odd-yeared elections than in presidential elections and midterms.<\/p>\n Both the cuts to human services and voting centers drew outcry from residents. About 40 people spoke against the reduction of polling places, saying it unfairly suppressed the votes of predominantly Black, Hispanic and college-aged communities.<\/p>\n Also at the State of the County, O\u2019Hare said city governments should eliminate more regulations, which he said makes it easier for people to do business.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Tarrant County, and I include all of our cities, we can do better at making it known that this is a place where you want to relocate your business.\u201d<\/p>\n O\u2019Hare spent the rest of the State of the County interviewing Sheriff Bill Waybourn, District Attorney Phil Sorrells and County Clerk Mary Louise Nicholson. Over about 45 minutes, the four discussed their personal lives, their roles in the county and what they see as their greatest achievements.<\/p>\n Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @shawlings601<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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