Things are tough all over, and they appear to be getting worse for our county government.

Pierce County faces a $6 million budget gap. County Executive Pat McCarthy has directed departments to make 1 percent cuts to partially fill the gap. The county may have to dip into fund balances and other savings to carry on through the worst recession in recent memory.

Law enforcement consumes a lion’s share of the county budget. It is expensive to operate a jail, court system and sheriff’s department. And local cities have other options for people arrested by police departments than the county jail. Tacoma has been in discussions to take some individuals to Fife for processing because that city has offered a lower cost for service than the county.

The sheriff’s department has been something of a sacred cow, being spared from cuts as fees are raised, services cut at parks and a budget approved by Pierce County Council last November eliminated 300 jobs.

Our county is vast, stretching from the peninsula to the Cascade Mountains. Deputies are responsible for covering huge areas. Cutting back on the number of deputies is not an option the council wants to make, but at some point in the near future it may be inevitable.

The county is heavily dependent on sales taxes and permit fees. Residents have cut back on purchasing and construction has dropped sharply during the recession.

It may not seem fair or right, but the reality under our current system is that if people expect a certain level of police protection across the county, they have to buy stuff and build stuff. Cuts to the sheriff’s department are not appealing, but it would certainly drive home a harsh reality about how our county government is funded.