Why did most of Sacramento County’s federal coronavirus aid go to sheriff’s payroll?

Did Sacramento County just turn the “defund the police” slogan on its head? County officials appear to have given the vast majority of the county’s federal coronavirus emergency funding to the office of Sheriff Scott Jones.

It’s a bad look, especially at a time when the death of George Floyd has inspired a protest movement that questions the role law enforcement plays in our society and in our public budgets. But is there a logic in how Sacramento County CEO Nav Gill decided to use the federal aid? That’s a question that needs to be answered during today’s meeting of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

Sacramento County has received a total of $181 million in federal aid funds as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES), but it appears these emergency funds have mostly funded law enforcement.

“Sacramento County has spent the vast majority of its federal coronavirus relief funds so far towards covering its Sheriff’s Office payroll, and the salaries and benefits of other public safety officers,” reports Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks of The Sacramento Bee.

Over $104 million of the $148 million the county received in aid as part of has gone directly to the sheriff’s payroll. Another $23.3 million went into the coffers of probation officers and park rangers, while the county’s coronavirus contact tracing program got a mere $10,000.

County officials say that giving the lion’s share of the CARES funding to law enforcement will help free up general fund money for other purposes. But other cities and counties have handled this differently.

“The city of Sacramento, for example, used part of it to create economic relief funds for small businesses,” wrote Yoon-Hendricks. “The city of Los Angeles paid for its $103 million renter relief program primarily with the federal dollars.”

When asked if Sacramento County considered similar programs, Sacramento County Fiscal Officer Britt Ferguson said “not so much.”

Phil Serna, chair of the Board of Supervisors, said it may be too early to jump to conclusions. He said Gill and other county officials must clearly and credibly explain their strategy and ensure residents that general fund money will benefit the entire community, not just the sheriff’s department.

“That’s the question that we’re going to ask tomorrow,” said Serna, who said he’s been requesting clarity on the county’s use of federal aid for months. “The longer this goes without an explanation, the more people are rightfully going to want to know how all of this works. This is the classic example of if you don’t explain it clear enough and in a timely way, you’re going to leave people to their own conclusions.”

Ferguson told The Bee that funneling the CARES money mostly to law enforcement allowed the county to avoid “massive budget cuts.”

“How do we free up as much money as possible to ... allow us to deal with $170 million in reduction in various revenue sources between 2019-20, and 2020-21?” Ferguson said.

Whatever the case, the county’s decision to allocate the vast majority of the CARES money to law enforcement at a time when so many people are suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic sends the wrong message. Why, for example, did so little of the county’s coronavirus funding go to contact tracing, which is essential to prevent the spread of the virus?

County executives will address the CARES spending today during a Board of Supervisors meeting. County supervisors must demand clear answers on the funding scheme and take steps to ensure that the sheriff’s department doesn’t also receive a big chunk of the general fund money ostensibly saved by this disproportionate allocation of federal aid.

“What does this all mean, not just for the end of the summer, but as we go into 2021?” asked Serna, who said he’s worried that upcoming budget cuts might include layoffs and cuts to social services.

County officials must provide clear and convincing answers.

To watch or participate in today’s 9:30 a.m. meeting of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, visit: http://www2.agendanet.saccounty.net/BoardOfSupervisors/