County-Cities Debate : Vote on Using Fines to Build Courts Postponed

After what was termed a “no-holds-barred, no-punches-pulled” discussion with city representatives, the Orange County Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to postpone a vote on a controversial proposal to raise money to build two courthouses by cutting into the cities’ share of court fines and bail forfeitures.

Two-Week Delay Sought

Board Chairman Thomas F. Riley said he sought a two-week delay to permit further talks with officials of Orange County’s 26 cities on a proposal to redivide revenues from court fines and forfeitures, to generate $65 million needed to build a long-delayed juvenile courthouse and a criminal courts building.

“I was impressed . . . with their sincerity in wanting to work together to achieve a solution to this problem,” Riley said of his meeting Monday with members of three city councils and the executive director of the League of California Cities’ Orange County Division.

Cities Would Lose Funds

Currently, the cities receive 85% of more than $19.7 million generated yearly from bail forfeitures and court fines, mainly for traffic tickets.

Under a bill before the Legislature, the county would increase its 15% share to 20%, and the additional $1 million yearly would go into a 20-year courthouse construction fund.

The league’s executive council and many city councils have opposed the bill because financially strapped local governments cannot afford even a small loss of revenue, and because, they said, the county failed to consult them about the change.

It is a debate reminiscent of the feud that raged between the supervisors and city councils in 1982, over the county’s unilateral decision to impose dumping fees at county-operated landfills.

Now, with the grand jury and presiding judge of the Juvenile Court urging the board to replace the overcrowded, unsafe temporary court facility--a cluster of 10 decrepit trailers--county officials have been scrambling for a way to pay for a new juvenile courthouse as well as a new building for the overcrowded central court in Santa Ana.

Bigger Increase Studied

On Tuesday, supervisors were poised to vote on a proposed amendment to the bill, by Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove), that would raise the county’s share of fines to 40%. That increase would bring in the $5 million a year county officials say is needed to back revenue bonds for construction of the two courthouses.

City Council members Evelyn Hart, of Newport Beach, and Irwin M. Fried, Yorba Linda, said they were pleased with the postponement of action on the amendment. They said the delay will give ample time to look at the financial impact of the change and at the county’s needs. But neither could promise an agreement.

“There is always room for negotiation,” Fried said. “But how much each city can afford to lose is something for each city council to decide.”

After Tuesday’s meeting, Riley said if there were no agreement on increasing the county share of fines within two weeks, “I personally would be supportive of the legislative action.”

“We’ve got the kids over there (in Juvenile Court),” Riley said. “It’s a terrible situation. I hope some of these council members will take a visit, and see first hand what we’re talking about.”