More details are emerging in the ongoing Benton-Franklin joint offices saga. At first, the break-up of some of the counties' joint efforts was attributed to growth and communications issues. Then some Benton County commissioners said that Benton is "bearing more than its share of the costs." Now, according to the Tri-City Herald, Benton County has named a figure:

The crisis that threatens to end decades of cooperation between Benton and Franklin counties now has a price tag: $662,000

That’s the amount Benton County claims it’s subsidizing Franklin County by administering a joint Superior Court, Juvenile Court and human services, according to figures released Tuesday.

The number, which is hotly disputed by Franklin County, will provide Benton County leaders with a compelling talking point as they move to terminate interlocal agreements that have united court and other operations for decades.

Subsidizing another county is likely an illegal use of public funds and it’s coming at Benton County’s expense, they said.

The $662,000 includes things like payroll, personnel and administrative costs. Franklin County's 2016 current expense budget totals $29.7 million — $662,000 represents 2.2 percent of the budget. The Herald quotes Franklin County Commission Chair Rick Miller as saying that these additional costs "would slash its emergency reserves in half."

In our report comparing the spending and revenues of five counties (including Benton and Franklin), we noted that spending on judicial activities on a per capita basis was especially high in Benton and low in Franklin. If it's true that Benton is subsidizing Franklin, perhaps that is part of the explanation.