Cuts To Police, Fire Under The Microscope Today

The budgets of Riverside County public safety agencies will be under the microscope today as the Board of Supervisors begins the first round of fiscal year 2011-12 budget impact hearings, gauging how proposed cuts will affect operations in each department.

The county is approaching the final year of a three-year deficit reduction plan, seeking to chop spending further in 2011-12.

During a mid-year budget report in February, the county Executive Office projected a roughly $31 million structural budget deficit by late June, with most of the red ink stemming from overruns in public safety departments.

The sheriff's department reported a $13.5 million shortfall; the fire department a $4.3 million deficit; and the district attorney a $6.3 million deficit.

District Attorney Paul Zellerbach said during a March 1 presentation to the board that he would be able to get that figure under $6 million.

According to Executive Office estimates, if planned across-the-board cuts are fully implemented in the next fiscal year, the county will have reduced expenditures by $57.3 million -- or 13 percent -- since 2008.

The county had anticipated raking in around $594 million in discretionary income to cover its bills in the current fiscal year – compared to $620 million in 2009-10.

“The estimates for revenue may not come in as high as we hoped they
would,'' said county budget chief Karen Johnson. “There's a lot of shifting.
Some revenue sources are going up and some are down. There are a lot of moving parts.''

Reserves should level out at $180 million, down from $241 million last year, according to county officials.

“We cannot count on revenue growth to resolve our structural deficit, nor to close the gap created by overages,'' said Executive Officer Bill Luna.

“Depending on reserves to pay for ongoing operations is not sustainable over the long-term.''

Since budget cuts began three years ago, county payrolls have been compressed roughly 8 percent  -- or 1,600 positions -- through a combination of layoffs, attrition, resignations and early retirements.

The Executive Office is seeking a 3 percent cut in general fund support for the sheriff's department, which receives the largest share of discretionary income.

Sheriff Stan Sniff has argued that the planned cuts would actually add up to more than 10 percent once Proposition 172 safety sales tax revenue losses, union-negotiated cost-of-living increases and higher jail expenses are factored into the total.

According to the Executive Office, the sheriff submitted a budget for fiscal 2011-12 that's $81 million over target.

Zellerbach's budget incorporates $5.2 million in cuts. However, the district attorney told the Executive Office that to achieve a balanced ledger in the upcoming fiscal year, he'll need to slash 37 positions, including prosecutorial staff.

A 5 percent chop in general fund allocations is planned for the fire department. According to the Executive Office, the cuts would bring the agency's deficit to $9.9 next year, possibly requiring the closure of eight fire stations to close the gap.

The board has already stated its aversion to shuttering facilities.

The probation department is also facing a 5 percent reduction in general fund support. To meet its budget target, Chief Probation Officer Alan Crogin said the agency will consider several options, including closing a 22-bed wing of the Van Horn Youth Center in Riverside and the entire 70-bed Twin Pines Ranch young offenders' rehabilitation facility in Banning.

Additional budget impact hearings are planned for county welfare agencies, public health, the assessor and treasurer's offices on Wednesday and Thursday. – City News Service