PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato proposed a new budget earlier this week with major cuts.

Anytime there are budget cuts there is going to be fall out. Only in this case, the fallout has already begun.

Marc Cherna found out about the possible cuts to his Children, Youth and Family budget on Monday.

Coupled with lost money from the state, it could add up to around $20 million.

If it happens, it could mean no more money for after school programs, family support centers and other services that build strong families throughout Allegheny County.

“If we don’t provide services to prevent child abuse and to help families remain independent, then there will be an increase in children who need to be in placement which costs much more money,” he said.

CYF isn’t the only county agency affected by the propose budget cuts, but theirs may be the biggest.

Onorato has proposed the cuts, but a new county executive will have to live with the new constraints.

“If we don’t invest in our young people, invest in their education, invest in their childhood development, we end up paying for it later on in lack of productivity, crime, loss to the community,” Rich Fitzgerald, the Democrat running for county executive, said.

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” adds D. Raja, the Republican candidate for county executive. “So, you look at the situation right now and we are having these cuts and my understanding of the Onorato plan of how he will address it is he’s not planning on laying off any individuals – he wants to let attrition – I think he said about 120 people – to attrition a year.”

Of course, before any budget is approved, there is an opportunity for public input and in this case that will come in early November.

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