The Hood River County Budget Committee has begun its work on the 2017-18 fiscal year budget, and it won’t be an easy job.  Faced with increasing expenses and revenues that cannot keep pace, the County is dealing with a one-point-six million dollar shortfall heading into the 2017-18 budget.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says county staff’s budget proposal calls for using one million dollars in reserves along with each department making cuts to balance the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.  But County Commission Chair Ron Rivers says those steps will only work for the short-term and the County needs to find another revenue source, and he wants to find one out of the tourism sector.  Rivers added he would like to see a proposal go to voters in the November election.