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WENTWORTH County officials are considering eliminating some jobs to solve the problem of its budget deficit.

"Our backs are to the wall. There is really no place that we can go," County Manager Tom Robinson told the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners in a budget work session Wednesday morning.

The 2008-09 budget has a projected deficit of $1 million, according to information Robinson provided in the meeting.

In a closed session, commissioners reviewed departments that could possibly face job cuts. In a memo to the commissioners, Robinson said the positions were being considered because of their "newness, lack of funding when the position was created, or simply their relative value when compared to other options."

County officials have not publicly said which departments could face cuts.

Robinson estimates that eliminating 23 positions would equal $1.3 million in reductions and $157,000 in increased revenues.

Robinson described the county's money problems as a "major budget dilemma."

Rockingham County's tax base per capita is about two-thirds of the state average, he said. The county's tax base has remained stagnant, Robinson said.

Commissioner Bobby Stanley said the board has the responsibility to make "good, sound financial decisions."

He said there had to be some adjustments and that he would support them "within reason."

"As long as it's done fair and in a reasonable way, I think it'll work," Stanley said.

Commission Vice Chairwoman Amelia Dallas said cutting jobs may ultimately be necessary, but she hopes that departments can "try a little harder and cut a little deeper" when it comes to their expenses to avoid eliminating personnel.

"We're just hoping to work out some other ideas and thoughts and ways of revenues that can get us through," Dallas said late Wednesday afternoon. She said if voters approve the quarter-cent sales tax in May, it would help the coming year's budget.

The commissioners will meet in another budget work session at 6:30 p.m. March 31.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com