Canton, NY, Jul 15, 2010 — The budget crunch in Albany means a bleak financial future for many of the North Country's counties. St. Lawrence County is fighting to close an $11 to 14 million deficit next year. That's 5% of the county's overall budget. County Administrator Karen St. Hillaire has proposed a package of $4 million in cuts. It would avoid most layoffs, but it would still force a 5% property tax increase. If the fiscal picture gets worse, the county may have to cut 30 to 50 jobs. St. Hillaire says most of the deficit comes from the state and federal governments contributing millions less to mandated programs, like Medicaid and the pension fund. She told David Sommerstein the struggling economy makes matters worse.