County to Take Fight to Capitol : Budgets: Local officials will ask state legislators to block proposals that could cut $47 million in 1993-94.

Taking their case to Sacramento, Ventura County officials plan to ask lawmakers today to block new budget cuts that would increase county losses by $5 million this year and gut library and firefighting services by 1994.

Already reeling from $12 million in proposed cuts, county officials said Tuesday that losses may now exceed $17 million for the fiscal year that began July 1.

And the $17-million loss from this year’s $700-million proposed county budget is small compared to $47 million in cuts that analysts say the new budget bill would require of the county in 1993-94.

Under the same proposal, which was drafted by Democrats, local cities would also lose a total of $5.9 million this year and $10 million next year. Gov. Pete Wilson’s alternative proposal spares most cities from sharp cuts, but still hits counties hard.

Under both proposals, much of the money taken from counties or cities would be shifted to schools.

“We didn’t realize there would be a total tidal wave (of cuts),” county Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg told county supervisors at a meeting Tuesday. “And that’s what it is.”

County Fire Chief George Lund said the Democratic proposal would eliminate $5 million of his $49-million budget this year and $20 million next year. The county Fire Department provides service for all local municipalities except Ventura and Oxnard.

And legislative analyst Penny Bohannon said the cuts would take 40% of the county’s $10-million library budget in two years. The county runs libraries in most local cities.

“That’s a 30% staff layoff and hours shortened by 30%,” Bohannon said. The situation would be even worse than in the dire days shortly after tax-slashing Proposition 13 was passed in 1978, she said.

Wittenberg, Bohannon, Lund and Supervisors John K. Flynn, Vicky Howard and Maria VanderKolk all planned to be at the Capitol today to tell the county’s legislative delegation that there must be a better way to balance the state budget.

They will meet first with powerful Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria), whose party drafted the amended bill that so concerns the county.

“I’ve met with them all before,” O’Connell said. “I’ll listen and I’ll offer my help.”

The budget bill that concerns county officials is just one of many alternatives proposed to eliminate the state’s $10.7-billion budget deficit so a state budget can be passed, O’Connell said.

“It’s just a proposal, no more,” O’Connell said. “We’re in a very fluid situation and we’re grasping for solutions to this moving target. Some of these proposals may become realities. Who knows, right now?”

The assemblyman said he does not expect a break in the stalemate between Wilson and the Democrat-controlled Legislature until at least next week.

O’Connell said, however, that when a final budget is approved, it will include sharp cuts in the revenue that counties receive from the state.

“The state can’t bail out anybody, because there’s no money at the state level,” he said.

To make up for the $17 million in proposed cuts in Ventura County, the new bill would allow the supervisors to impose without voter approval an extra 3/4-cent sales tax this fiscal year and another 1/2-cent levy next fiscal year.

In Ventura County, each half cent of sales tax is equal to $25 million annually. The sales tax rate is now 7 1/4 cents on each $1 of sales.

But the supervisors said again Tuesday that local taxpayers would revolt if the board attempted a sales-tax increase.

“I don’t see any way to raise taxes,” Flynn said.

O’Connell said new local taxes may not be necessary, because laws under consideration would no longer require counties to provide some health and welfare services that are now mandatory.

The Legislature also probably will give county officials more flexibility in transferring money from one department to another, which makes painful budget adjustments easier.

“They don’t need to increase the sales tax,” O’Connell said. “They can cut their budgets, just like the state is. I voted for a 5% reduction in state employees last week. The key here is flexibility. It’s everybody’s problem.”

Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) said she favors changes in the Democratic budget bill that would phase in its reductions over three years instead of two to make them easier to absorb.

Wright also said she favors allowing the transfer of funds from special districts--such as hospital, flood control, recreation and airports--to other areas that may need it more.

She said that allowing counties and cities to increase sales taxes is no solution.

“It’s crazy to take money away from the counties and cities and then go ahead and tell them to raise taxes,” Wright said. “I want to see the five guys who’ll sit there and vote for that when the room is filled with taxpayers.”

All Ventura County departments have been required to submit plans to reduce budgets by either 2 1/2% or 5%, so the supervisors can quickly approve a 1992-93 budget once Wilson and the Legislature agree on a state spending plan.

Ventura County gets about 40% of its general fund budget from the state.

Wittenberg will forward a proposed budget to the board Thursday, and supervisors are expected to approve a 1992-93 budget after hearings in mid-August.

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