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By BRETT WILKISON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
In its second day of budget hearings, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tentatively approved job and program cuts for the last batch of seven county departments.
The moves, if formally approved today to help fill a $42.8 million deficit, would result in general fund spending reductions of 23 to 25 percent for county planning, fire and emergency services, transportation, community development and three other departments.
Supervisors also agreed Tuesday to consider saving $2.7 million in funding connected to some of those departments, including money for a trio of long-range planning positions, an emergency operations job and an additional $120,000 for grants to homeless shelter, emergency food and counseling programs.
Those moves added to the now-$8.6 million list of restorations the board is set to consider Wednesday in an all-important hearing before supervisors sign off on the proposed $1.2 billion budget.
Programs at risk range from the $1.1 million Sierra Youth Center, the probation center for girls, and the Sheriff’s Office helicopter Henry 1 — now slated to operate on a reduced, five-day schedule with a halved budget of $900,000 — to a $22,000 allocation for crossing guards at five local school districts.
In between are an array of public safety programs aimed at gang prevention, domestic violence, sex assault and child abuse cases, aid programs for veterans, the mentally ill and the needy, and positions dedicated to animal care, elections and road upkeep.
In their preliminary discussions so far this week, supervisors mostly agreed that each of those programs and jobs deserved another look.
“These are all essential services,” said Supervisor Valerie Brown, the board veteran.
Today’s formal votes, however, could reveal conflicts, starting with how to allocate the county’s dwindling general fund revenue.
As the main pot of discretionary money, the general fund supports public safety and administrative services, and to a lesser degree other local programs. Spending is down more than 11 percent in the past two years to $379 million, due largely to historic property tax declines. The combination of projected flat property tax revenues and rising county costs next year means an estimated $14.6 million deficit by next June, likely extending what has been a three-year scramble among departments for shrinking resources, county leaders said this week.
“Unfortunately, the five-year projection isn’t rosy,” Veronica Ferguson, the county administrator, said Monday.
A second issue is whether the board should again dip into special reserves, as it has in years past, to support programs and jobs that could be back on the chopping block next June.
If they want to save the entire $8.6 million restoration list, supervisors will have to tap $2.7 million of those one-time funds, which are intended to cover property tax delinquencies, capital projects and retirement costs. Together, the funds come to nearly $30 million.
The remainder of the list would be covered by $5.9 million set aside in special emergency and sales-tax accounts.
Brown said she supports using one-time funds to avoid cuts. “We’ve done it before to a much larger degree,” she said, citing the $11.7 million used from the same funds last year to help fill a nearly $62 million deficit.
At least three other supervisors said they were not inclined to tap the special funds, which are separate from the county’s main reserve of $35 million.
“This was the year that we really needed to tackle the structural deficit,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt. “No gimmicks.”
Some of those one-time funds may be needed for about $4 million in county programs that would be left unfunded if a tax extension on vehicle licenses isn’t approved by state legislators and voters, Rabbitt added.
“It’s such a huge gamble,” he said about spending reserves on existing programs.
Supervisor Shirlee Zane and Efren Carrillo, the board chairman, said they were worried the county won’t be any better off next year, especially if the necessary cuts aren’t made.
“At this point I think we need to stick to our guns and make the hard cuts,” Zane said.
Carrillo added that one-time funds could extend some vital services that next year could be phased out or funded, partially or fully, through non-county sources.
An effort to secure outside financing, including private donations, is already under way to preserve the Henry 1 helicopter.
Supervisor Mike McGuire, meanwhile, said he would take a wait-and-see approach on the use of one-time funds.
He has proposed cost-cutting and smaller dollar amounts for program and job restorations throughout the budget hearings, urging county leaders, he said, “to find a new way to work.”
“This year is the year of sacrifice,” he said.
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I agree Bear, the idea that we can move forward without new taxes, (along with necessary austerity), at the Federal level is absurd.
The British have shown the way it needs to be done; lets pray it works so we can eventually follow.
Of course that means political bravery from both parties.
Not something we’ve seen a lot of lately.
GAJ I get it. I lived in Sonoma for 23+ years. I know the politics.
My point was that we’re being screwed by national economic policies, deregulation of financial markets, mortgage fraud and unnecessary wars.
The larger that federal deficits can be, the better off the deficit hawks will be. More jobs lost? Are you ready for President Michelle Bachman?
Only possible because Obama has lost his base. He wouldn’t survive a 10-minute conversation with me.
Meanwhile, I suggest you watch the PBS Frontline story on how deregulation (or lack of regulation) under Clinton helped lead to the present situation.
Bill Clinton deserves no credit for anything. Period. His zipper gave us Bush. And Bush made it worse.
But my position is that any job lost (public or private) and any discretionary income lost for any reason, simply hurts local business and impedes economic recovery.
Since this is the announced policy of the republican party, I predict a second and deeper recession. I hope Europe straightens itself out so there is no worldwide depression.
With real regret, I predict a worldwide depression.
What are you ranting about Bear?
Do you even live in Sonoma County?
Do you really believe it is Republicans in Sonoma County leading the cry on waste?
They are a tiny minority here.
If you don’t see the need for drastic change then you are blind.
Being upset with how tax money is spent, and feeling like you have little voice in the matter is not exactly something new in this Country and is certainly not the realm of only the far right.
I’m happy to pay more in taxes after drastic reforms in the way it is spent.
The idea that a government employee receive perhaps as much as 50% in average pay after 3 decades of service, (despite the fact that it is now nearly unheard of in the private sector), is not outlandish to me.
That they can receive absurd pay at the upper tiers, and retire with as much as 90% of highest years’ pay after 30 years is, in my opinion, beyond outlandish.
It is a raiding of the budget and an insult to our children and grandchildren.
FUBAR… The economic crisis in Greece has nothing to do with Socialism and everything to do with corruption.
“Socialism does not work in Europe . . .”
At the very least it’s expensive. A worker in Germany earning the modest yearly wage of $25K coughs up 27% in income taxes! In America the amount is 9%. Then, one also gets to pay 20%-25% in value added taxes on every purchase, plus about $4.50 per gallon of gasoline in excise taxes.
Lost on Bear, and his ideological brethren, is that while the rich pay more taxes in Europe, the poor and middle class pay much more.
“Step right up! Have I got a deal for you!”
@bear say’s “Heard the news from Europe lately?”
Yep.
Socialism does not work in Europe and it’s not working here.
The system is being abused, the individual is under assault and it’s our job (as is our right) to stop the thugs who are on the dole working the taxpayers payroll – before there is a breakdown of the civil society like you see in Greece.
Democrats are getting what they’ve always wanted: big GOVERNMENT spending it’s way into oblivion.
You should be proud!
…and thank you so much for accomplishing what the spineless “Republicans” never could, smaller GOVERNMENT!
Republicans are getting what they’ve always wanted: tax cuts for the rich and corporations, and service cuts for every level of government. Except the defense budget. You should be so proud!
Your deregulatory economic policies and incompetent foreign policies have brought on a worldwide recession that is getting worse, not better. Heard the news from Europe lately? Expect a worldwide depression.
YOU are responsible!
This is what you want? So you can make birth control pills illegal and protect us from gay marriage? I suggest you study the history of the French revolution.
Then explain how tax cuts have created more jobs. In India?
And Michelle Bachman will save us?
You’re joking?