Sacramento County is expected to approve a budget today – and it won't be pretty.
The county's five supervisors may find the money to save a program here or there, but chances are by day's end they'll have whacked nearly $68 million in spending – killing dozens of cherished programs and paring to the bone an array of state-mandated functions.
The proposed spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1 calls for $67.9 million in cuts and using $55.8 million in reserve funds to solve a projected $123.7 million deficit. The county's projected general fund is $2.1 billion.
During the housing boom years, soaring property tax revenues allowed the county to absorb cuts in state funding and enhance services. Over the years, the county added new service centers and clinics and spent more to combat gangs and support senior citizens. It also built a new coroner's office and broke ground for a new animal care facility.
But as program, payroll and fuel costs soared, the economy crashed.
"The bust came kind of out of the blue," said Barbara O'Connor, a California State University, Sacramento, professor who monitors local politics. "They were surprised by the severity of the economic downturn."
Paul McIntosh, executive director of the California Association of Counties, said the state "has continually shorted counties on the administrative costs of programs." The economic downturn and flattening out of property and sales tax growth has exposed long-term inequities, McIntosh said.
Sacramento County isn't alone in its budget hell. The state is grappling with an estimated $15.2 billion deficit in its $101.8 million general fund. The city of Sacramento is working to close a $58 million gap.
McIntosh said he didn't think Sacramento County was in far worse shape than other counties.
For instance, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties are facing similar budget difficulties. Placer faces a deficit estimated at $23 million in its $371 million general fund. El Dorado's deficit is $15.8 million in its $220 million general fund. And Yolo County – with the highest deficit as a percentage of its general fund – faces a shortfall of $22.8 million in a $63 million general fund.
Yolo County is restructuring its Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services Department and closing a detoxification center in Woodland.
Nonetheless, scores of Sacramento County residents and stakeholders testified in budget hearings about the reduced support for their programs.
County cuts hit a more visceral note because they affect those least able to help themselves, said Peter Detwiler, staff director for the state Senate's Local Government Committee.
"The county's service population is the most vulnerable: the sick, the elderly, the indigent, the incarcerated and the dead," Detwiler said.
While the city can decide to cut back park maintenance or just quit offering some programs, counties have less flexibility because they administer programs required by state law.
"The county can't say we're only going to take care of the elderly and not the young," Detwiler said.
County safety net programs are taking the biggest hit. Approximately $3 of every $4 being cut comes from such programs.
A handful of programs will be cut entirely, and dozens of other state-mandated programs face dramatic cuts. The cuts will result in reduced capacity to evaluate claims of child abuse, less frequent inspections of foster homes, and fewer services for the mentally ill.
Under the proposed budget, inspection of foster homes will go from once a year to once every four years.
Laurie Slothower, a county spokeswoman, said cutting back inspections was a difficult decision.
"It's certainly not the schedule we'd like to do them on," Slothower said. "We just think its better if we can do it every year. The more eyes you have on something, the more likely you can solve problems or prevent them."
Call The Bee's Ed Fletcher, (916) 321-1269.
