Maybe a million was a bit steep...

One week after hearing the Whitman County’s 2011 budget deficit had swollen from $660,000 to $1 million, county leaders learned Monday no solid figure actually exists.

In December, the county passed a $12.6 million budget that was $660,000 in the red.

Commissioner Greg Partch last week said figures from the county’s newly-implemented New World accounting software showed the deficit had grown to as much as $1 million.

Gary Petrovich, administrative director in the commissioners’ office, told a gathering of county officials Monday the county has no way to know its actual deficit until next month...