Dickensian Times in County Government

For Los Angeles County government it is the best of times, it is the worst of times. It is the period of plenty; it is the time of want. It is the age of extravagance; it is the season for begging.

Tax dollars are down and demand for government services are up because taxpayers are suffering the curse of the recession and lost jobs. The just-released county budget calls for closings and cutbacks of government services to balance a budget that will not even keep up with the inflation rate.

But this is a “Tale of Two Governments.” Those who oversee the bureaucracy sip champagne from crystal flutes while those receiving services from the government must share a paper cup of water.

The chief administrative officer decides what programs to cut in the confines of offices redecorated at a cost of $2.8 million. Meanwhile, 19 juvenile probation camps may close.

The mental-health department says that it will fall millions short of its needs, but consultants hired by the Department of Health Services spend more than $13,000 for leather furniture and sit around a new $6,300 granite conference table. At the same time, a nonprofit corporation set up to raise funds for the Department of Health Services lost $726,000.

Under the proposed budget, the sheriff says it will take longer to respond to emergencies. But at least supervisors driving around in their $74,000 armor-plated cars will be protected.

Three hundred to 500 social-services workers may lose their jobs, but the supervisors and top county officials could rake in the bulk of $18 million a year in pension increases. The issue is not closed as Supervisors Gloria Molina and Deane Dana try to instill some common sense in the rest of the board and top county officials.

With drastic budget cuts to be made, Madame Defarge is knitting at the Hall of Administration.

True, stopping excessive spending on themselves will not make up for the reported gap of $2.2 billion in the county budget. But, for county brass, it would be a far, far better thing to do than they are doing now.