Sep 22, 2010 — Essex County now faces a budget deficit next year that could top 9 million dollars. That's ten percent of the county's budget that still needs to be paid for.

The soaring costs are being blamed on scheduled pay increases for county workers, rising utility coasts, and the cost of operating the Horace Nye nursing home in Elizabethtown.

The latest blow came this week, when the Board of Supervisors announced that health insurance costs could rise by as much as 46%.

Brian Mann spoke about the budget crunch with Randy Douglas. He's town supervisor in Jay and serves as county chair.