The budget battle between the Alachua county commission and sheriff Sadie Darnell has drawn in an innocent bystander. With an appeal hearing coming up in Tallahassee, the sheriff is preparing a worst case budget scenario in the event she loses. The dispute is over a 500,000 dollar budget gap. County leaders have long argued times are tough and Darnell needs to make the budget work. If the commission's appeal prevails, Darnell said she'll have to eliminate her agency's school crossing guard program and remove 7 school resource deputies.

"Are these programs valuable? Absolutely. Are they necessary for the well being of our children, of our youth that are going to school? Absolutely. But do I have anywhere to cut? Absolutely not, I have carved my budget down to the bone," said Darnell.

Speaking for the Alachua County Commission, Communications Director Mark Sexton told TV20 Commissioners haven't received a copy of the proposal but they also have made difficult budget decisions because of declining resources.

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