Neighboring counties have expanded the number of government jobs being affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and it can only be a matter of time before Butler County will have to follow suit.

Friday morning Westmoreland County commissioners announced 500 more county employees would be furloughed, this time extending into courthouse employees who had avoided the previous cuts.

This brings into question just how many jobs can still be done at the courthouse and the county building and related properties such as district justice offices. How far can the reductions go and what is the savings? Does the county stand to recoup any of the losses it is experiencing, and actually what are those losses or potential losses?

Just like the private sector, many jobs within government are salaried and not usually subject to being reduced, but these are such unusual and strange times we are having to examine all possibilities and concepts. There are legal rules to be considered such as a person’s right to a speedy trial or statutes of limitation on charges for various crimes. Does the attack of a killer virus waive those rules and procedures?

Enough people have lost jobs and benefits. We don’t need to see more people establishing firs-time accounts with the unemployment bureau. We need people working and paying taxes and building the economy back.

There is still nothing happening that gives real hope to anyone that we will be normal again any time soon. It is time government takes the lead and establishes an end point to where we will go with the reductions in the workforce.

Can someone please establish a bottom? Government jobs are hard to measure. We don’t see much of what goes on in the courthouse out of public view because people have certain rights to privacy. We don’t know how many hours , days or weeks may go into the handling of a single domestic claim with children involved.

It isn’t likely that family court cases are decreasing in number in these times of turmoil.

Homes with issues of domestic violence probably need attention these days with restricted movements and fewer opportunities to be separate if problems arise.

Couple that with the confusing decision that beer sales were declared essential and now the governor is renewing online sale of alcohol, and we have a time bomb ticking loudly.

So does Butler County lay off more employees? If so what are the new services to be cut that were still available today? Do we reduce law enforcement personnel? Should we lock all the government buildings and wait for a new dawning post-COVID-19?

No one seems to have the answers yet, and the politicians are still too busy posturing and patting themselves on the back to be efficient. No one gives the other side any credit, and no one accepts any blame for the problems and the multitude of issues uncovered from this process.

It is hopeless to ask the politicians to suddenly think of the people and the nation instead of their party. Best we can do is hope that our local leaders manage to fight through the bureaucracy and do the best they can for the most people.

— RV