Countywide

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors, still struggling with proposed cuts in services at the county psychiatric hospital, delayed final approval of a $1.9-billion budget for fiscal 1991-92.

Under state law, supervisors must approve a spending plan by today. A vote had been scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed when board Chairman John MacDonald raised concerns over the board’s decision to save $3.7 million by eliminating beds at the psychiatric hospital while paying additional money to place patients in private mental hospitals.

With just four of the five supervisors in attendance, MacDonald’s objections would have prevented the board from garnering the four votes needed for approval of the budget. Supervisor Leon Williams was in Washington, D.C.

The supervisors closed a $30.6-million gap in the budget by cutting about $18 million in services, delaying spending and infusing some programs with one-time expenditures of cash.

However, the board was advised Tuesday that the county may be as much as $15 million short of funds expected to have been left over from fiscal 1990-91, which ended June 30. The shortfall could force another round of budget cuts or spending freezes, officials said.