With local governments facing historically tight times, some are asking whether elected officials should forgo district discretionary funds.

In Placer County, two supervisors are asking that their $20,000 in unrestricted funds be tossed back into the general fund.

Sacramento County and the cities of Sacramento and Roseville are among the other local municipalities that have programs that give elected officials wide latitude in spending a small pot of money.

The Placer County program, called revenue sharing, earmarks $20,000 annually for each supervisor to dole out to local nonprofits, special causes and community events – usually in small amounts ranging from $200 to $1,000.

Supervisors Jack Duran and Jennifer Montgomery say that while the causes are worthy, core county functions should take precedence.

Montgomery has already turned her allocation back to the county to support health and human services programs in the Tahoe area.

At the Placer board's March 22 meeting, Duran asked for a 12-month moratorium on the program. But the matter has yet to be resolved.

Sacramento's City Council recently rejected a staff proposal for diverting to the general fund the $55,000 that each of the eight council members get back. They did, however, give up a larger chunk of money, $665,000 collected from district billboards and cellphone towers.

"When you are cutting back police, and fire and planning, can you afford to give out grants – even if they are small?" asked Peter Detwiler, a college professor and a consultant with the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.

Sacramento County typically allows supervisors to allocate a portion of the county's hotel tax to district projects and programs, but in recent years the staff-recommended pot of money has shrunk and/or been sent back to general fund by the board, said Chris Andis, a county spokeswoman.

Of the $91,000 in Sacramento County's "neighborhood programs account," $24,000 has been allocated by the board to the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, with the remainder put back into the general fund.

Roseville gives its council $15,000 collectively to disburse to sober grad nights and other causes. The lion's share of their giving comes through a program that also utilizes interest from the sale of the Roseville Hospital to allocate more than $500,000 annually to charitable causes.

Duran, who was elected to the Placer board in 2010, said a 12-month moratorium is a "necessary and prudent first step." With experience in nonprofit work, Duran said he understands what charities are going through.

Recipients in 2010 have included the North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation ($750), the Dutch Flat Community Center ($1,000), Colfax Grad Night ($1,000) and Women of Worth ($750).

Montgomery said such causes are budgetary "wants" – not "needs."

"Meals on wheels for seniors is a must-have," she said. "I'm not saying they're not good projects, but cancer research is not a core goal. It's not the county's job. It is the county's job through health and human services to provide things like meals on wheels for homebound seniors."

Randy Tooker, executive director of the Auburn Boys and Girls Club, said supporting programs like the Boys and Girls Club is an investment in youth.

"If programs like ours go away, it will cost the county more," said Tooker, whose organization received six small grants totaling $1,400. "We provide a vital service that impacts the community in a positive way."

Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn said district-directed funds offer a good return on a modest investment. Council members are free to use the funds to keep neighborhood pools open a few extra hours, hire constituent problem-solving interns and, in his district, provide seed money for the popular Pops in the Park live music program.

"This is about as little bureaucracy as you can get in city government," Cohn said. "I think it works pretty well."

Detwiler, who lives in Cohn's east Sacramento district, said pitting police vs. Pops in the Park is a tough balancing act.

"That evening (concert) seemed like a really good expenditure of money, but if I got home and my house had been burgled, I would want them (police) to show up right away," Detwiler said. "Sitting on the lawn eating ice cream, listening to music – that was a lot of fun, is that worth a cop? That is what Steve gets to decide."

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