When Chatham-Kent councillors discuss the municipal budget, they’ll already been starting in a $2.3-million hole. 
That’s according to a report outlining the provincial downloading.
The biggest cuts come in public health and child care, making up about half of the download.
There’s also an $800,000 cut to the municipal partnership fund.
The 2020 budget process starts January 15th with the presentation of the draft budget to council.