Safety Programs Curbed in Fund Cuts by County

A divided Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors ordered reductions in rarely touched sheriff, fire and probation services Tuesday in removing another $36.2 million from this year’s budget, already shrunken by earlier cuts.

In an uncharacteristic move, the board targeted the county’s public safety programs as part of a new round of cuts that include the elimination of eight firefighting positions, less overtime for sheriff’s deputies and a $3.5-million reduction in Probation Department programs.

The supervisors also ordered the layoff of about 40 workers in various county departments and curtailment of services in such areas as pest abatement, affirmative-action compliance, beaches and harbors and the court system in an effort to balance the county’s $8.9-billion budget.

County departments hit by the latest round of cuts were to be notified immediately to begin reductions “at the earliest possible date.”

‘No Choice’

Placing the blame on a stingy state Legislature, board Chairman Deane Dana said after the 3-2 vote: “We had no choice but to make these cuts.”

Supervisor Ed Edelman agreed and warned that even with the latest reductions, the county faces the prospects of yet another round of “deep cuts” in November unless voters approve Proposition 99, the statewide cigarette tax estimated to be worth $41 million to Los Angeles County.

“On the horizon is a cloud hanging over the county, a black cloud of great proportions that could cause serious problems,” Edelman said of the looming extra deficit if voters reject the cigarette tax.

The county’s precarious financial situation stems from the failure of legislators to include $135.3 million in funding to pay for local trial courts in approving a state budget. Although supervisors had already imposed belt-tightening measures on county departments last July, the lack of trial-court dollars required the board to make the $36.2 million in further cuts.

In past budget deliberations, the supervisors, long dominated by a conservative majority, have made public safety a top priority and insulated law enforcement and the Fire Department from major budget cuts--until now.

Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who voted against the proposal, said he opposed the budget proposal primarily because it targeted the Sheriff and Fire departments for budget cuts that he insisted should come from other county programs.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Pete Schabarum, the other vote against the cuts, contended that his fellow board members had adopted an austerity plan that did little to solve the county’s shaky financial state.

‘Band-Aid Approach’

“It was a slapdash Band-Aid approach to trying to get our budget somewhat in balance, which is, I’m sure, going to have to be revisited sooner than later,” Schabarum said.

While Dana, the third member of the ruling conservative majority, agreed that the cuts could hamper the Sheriff’s Department--including delaying the planned opening of a jail facility at the Peter Pitchess Honor Ranch--he said the county had no alternative but to adopt the cuts.

Among the reductions, proposed by Chief Administrative Officer Richard B. Dixon and approved by the board, are:

- Planned layoffs in the chief administrative office, pesticide-use enforcement and consumer-protection programs. Other layoffs are slated in the auditor-controller’s office and civil service and employee relations commissions.

- The loss of eight seasonal firefighting positions in San Dimas, Newhall and Calabasas, which Dixon described as minimal, although he added that the reduction may affect response time to fires or other emergency services.

- A $3.1-million reduction in the Sheriff Department’s overtime budget, which would curtail added law enforcement activities, except in emergencies.

- Delays in implementing work-furlough contracts and other Probation Department programs, including development at Central Juvenile Hall.

- Cuts in the affirmative action compliance office, which are expected to slow the processing of discrimination complaints. Deferred maintenance and tree trimming at beach and marina facilities and delays in adding new court judges.

- Less money for security and custodial services and reduced upkeep and funds for public programs at the county museums of art and natural history.

Saved from the budget ax was the Dorothy Kirby Center, a mental health facility where mentally disturbed youngsters who have committed crimes now receive psychological treatment.

Workers at the center and community supporters appeared at the board chambers and urged the board to keep the City of Commerce facility from closing and sending the 100 youths who reside there to other locations.

At Edelman’s urging, the board quickly voted to seek cuts in other areas of the Probation Department--which runs the Kirby Center--rather than close the facility.

The supervisors also went along with Edelman’s suggestion that they reject Dixon’s proposal to lay off 34 workers in the Department of Parks and Recreation, shorten the hours at local parks and shave recreational programs by 40%.

Parks Funding

Instead, the board opted to use money from the county’s planned sale from its inventory of auto parts to help pay for the parks and recreation programs rather than curtail the hours and staff.

In a related move, the board also agreed Tuesday to add 28 toxic waste inspectors to beef up the health department’s hazardous waste monitoring program after determining that the added investigators would not cost the financially strapped county any money.

Health officials told the board that the $1.2 million in salaries and benefits for the new inspectors would come from revenues generated by licensing businesses that deal with hazardous waste. About 5,600 out of about 18,000 such businesses in the county have yet to obtain the required hazardous waste permit, said Robert Gates, the county health director.

The push to add new inspectors came after 28,000 Eastside residents were evacuated over the Labor Day weekend because of a toxic cloud that formed over a City of Commerce plant in a chemical spill. Some community residents and politicians blamed the incident on weak enforcement of toxic-waste laws.

In urging the board to approve the added investigators, Ralph Lopez, the deputy director for environmental health, called it “a first step” toward cracking down on toxic-waste violators.