RIDGWAY – The Elk County Commissioners adopted a 2017 budget on Wednesday that includes a tax increase of 1.5 mills.

Overall, the tax increase will cost an estimated $43 per year for a home assessed at $50,000, according to officials. The county’s current millage rate is 14.65, and is expected to increase to 15.15. The county is expected to receive an additional $772,500 in taxes.

During the 20-day period the budget was put on public display, Elk County Commissioner Daniel Freeburg said he did receive a phone call from a resident focused on “concern and criticism of the state of society.”

Freeburg elaborated that the concern was over the drug problem and prison costs and their cost to society.

The drug problem and the judicial system had a significant impact on the county’s 2017 budget, he said.

At a meeting earlier this month, the commissioners approved a county detective position to help combat the drug problem in the county.

Elk County District Attorney Shawn T. McMahon requested the position to assist the county’s law enforcement agencies with conducting drug investigations and investigations into other major crimes.

The position was approved with an expense of nearly $70,000, although McMahon hopes to fund up to 80 percent of the costs through forfeiture funds in the future.

The position is expected to be implemented on Jan. 1  with St. Marys Police Officer Gregg McManus being appointed to the position.

Also at the meeting on Wednesday, the county’s salary board approved a position for Children and Youth services.

Elk County Commissioner Janis Kemmer said at a previous meeting that the position is mandated and is required to deal with the increasing number of children in foster care.

She added that when current director Nancy Baker started in CYS there was one foster family in the county, but now there are 11 families.

Kemmer said the positions both deal with the drug epidemic in the county and the country.

Finally, another increase to the county comes as two murder trials are expected to be held at the end of 2017.

Kristy Murphy and Scott Murphy are currently facing homicide charges in the Elk County Court of Common Pleas in connection to the murder of 5-year-old O’Ryan Murphy in February.

McMahon previously announced that the commonwealth will be pursuing the death penalty against both individuals.

Each individual will be represented by two public defenders, and it is currently unknown how many experts will be called in to testify on behalf of the commonwealth and the defense.

The county has to fund the prosecution and the defense, and the magnitude of these trials has the potential to present the county with significant costs.

Commissioner Matt Quesenberry chimed in on the matter at the meeting.

“It’s a reflection of the world we live in that we’re required to have to find a way to fund these social ills, and unfortunately, that’s for all of us to do,” Quesenberry said.

Kemmer added that the costs are due to the “failings of humanity.”