- a weekly column published in the Pioneer Press

State Budget: The County is now waiting for the other budget shoe to drop. The State has a deficit of $24 billion and will run out of cash in 50 days. Many of the proposals to make up that budget gap involve taking additional revenues from counties, cities and schools. The State would also like the counties to buy their bonds (lend them money.) Keep in mind that these revenue cuts were not included in the County’s preliminary budget and would likely mean additional reductions in County personnel.    

Cuts in revenues on the table for the counties are: Williamson Act backfills or “subventions” ($700,000); Proposition 1A ($740,000 - $1.16 million); money for rural law enforcement and Vehicle License Fees (VLF) currently directed to public safety. Negotiations are underway that could affect programs, including: the elimination or reduction of the CalWorks program (welfare to work); Healthy Families insurance for children; and SSI and SSP benefits for seniors. Money for the Proposition 36 program could also be suspended. This money supports the diversion of qualified offenders into drug and alcohol treatment and recovery programs. Since the Proposition was a voter passed initiative, it appears that this would result in a situation where the offenders would still be eligible, but there would be no programs to which they could be diverted.  

The Budget Conference Committee has also proposed to raid County transportation funds. Worst case scenario would mean a likely layoff in the Road Department, with implications on our ability to continue to snow plow roads and maintain 1361 miles of roads and 175 bridges. 

First, they want to take all the remaining bond funds available to local governments under Proposition 1B (highway funds.) Another current proposal is to take the entire Highway Users Tax Account (HUTA) including gas taxes for fiscal years 2009-10 and 20010-11, allocating nothing to the counties. This would decrease Siskiyou County Road Dept. revenues by $2.7 million each year – more than a quarter of that Department’s budget. Right now, another proposal by the Legislative Analyst’s Office, is to also take Prop. 42 funds. That would mean an additional $2 million County revenue cut – a combined cut with HUTA of about 53% of the Road Department’s revenues or the equivalent of 40 jobs.  Keep in mind that a substantial portion of the remaining Road Department budget currently comes from the reauthorization of P.L. 110-343 - the federal Secure Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act, (which is a replacement for reduced revenue to Counties from timber harvest on National Forests.) That money declines each year and is currently set to end in 2011.  

County Budget Details: The County Librarian has presented the Board of Supervisors with the plan for staff reductions to meet the $175,138 in budget cuts for that department. Unfortunately, the Scott Bar branch library will close, however some older or donated books may remain for informal use. Hours open to the public in other District 5 branches will be reduced to the following: Etna – 15 hours; Fort Jones – 10 hours; Happy Camp – 10 hours; and Yreka – 30 hours. Reductions were based on circulation records from each branch.       

The Recorder will lose two recording clerks. This will most likely mean an office closure around lunch time. The Auditor will lose two people. The Public Defender will lose an attorney. Public Health will lose a public health nurse and a health assistant. The Sheriff has eliminated 18 extra help employees. Many of these duties will be now be picked up by full time staff. The Correctional Officer’s and Deputy Sheriff’s unions have waived their negotiated Cost of Living Adjustments to offset further reductions.