Freeborn County faces an additional $850,000 cut to county aid in 2010 under Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s budget proposal released this week to make up for the state deficit.

The cut would be in addition to an already expected $450,000 unallotment for the year.

“I think it’s one of those things where people all knew something was coming,” said Freeborn County Administrator John Kluever. “It’s not unexpected in any means, and the county continues to do things to put ourselves in a better position to be reacting to this type of action.”

If the proposal comes to fruition, the county’s aid from the state would be reduced to only about $530,000, Kluever said. Before any unallotments for 2010, the county was set to receive $1.84 million in county aid.

Out of a $38 million county budget, these funds made up about 5 percent of the budget, Kluever said. While the aid does not make up as large of a portion of the budget as LGA does for the city of Albert Lea, it is money that has to be accounted for, he said.

In 2009, Freeborn County received an about $500,000 cut to county aid, and in December 2008, it received an about $290,000 unallotment.

“It’s an ongoing deal,” Kluever said. “My budget is on my desk 365 days of the year.”

In addition to county aid cuts, Freeborn County’s Department of Human Services would also face cuts under Pawlenty’s proposal.

The specific Freeborn County numbers were unavailable as of Wednesday. Look to a later issue of the Tribune for more on these proposed cuts.