County Budget OKd--$5 Million Short

The Board of Supervisors gave final approval to the Orange County budget for the 1988-89 fiscal year Tuesday, even though a last-minute bookkeeping check found that the county is $5 million short of what it had anticipated.

When the supervisors tentatively adopted a $2.2-billion budget late last month, they froze $17 million in expenditures that were to be funded with projected income not yet in hand. On Tuesday, the supervisors increased the frozen portion of the budget to $22 million.

If the revenue gap is not bridged by November, the county might have to revise the budget by closing programs or cutting jobs, according to John Sibley, assistant county administrative officer.

“I think it will be made up,” Sibley said. But, he added, “If the other revenues don’t come in, our problem will be $5 million worse.”

Sibley said County Administrative Officer Larry Parrish has already warned department heads to watch spending until additional revenues are found. The department chiefs also were told not to fill some vacant positions, according to Sibley.

The county came up short when the books were closed on the previous fiscal year, which ended June 30, Sibley said.

Much of the money the county is anxiously anticipating could be forthcoming today or Thursday in two decisions by the Legislature, which is considering a funding bill for trial courts. The state would assume the cost of operating the county courts. County officials expect that could generate up to $12 million this year for Orange County. Another bill in the Legislature would provide the county with a block grant of about $3 million.

County officials said they are also considering selling excess county property to generate about $10 million. And they are talking with the county’s retirement board about obtaining some of its surplus money.

The supervisors adopted a tentative budget on June 29 for this fiscal year, which began July 1. Budget hearings were held last month. The final budget was adopted in a unanimous vote.