Budget Proposal Seeks 7% Spending Hike : County government: The $788-million blueprint would add 98 jobs but doesn’t include a possible $25-million state cut.

Ventura County’s top administrator on Thursday proposed a $788-million budget that would increase spending 7% over the next year, but immediately warned that pending cuts in state funds could force the elimination of 159 jobs when the county budget is finally adopted in August.

The preliminary 1992-93 budget would increase county spending by $51 million and add 98 jobs over last year, while virtually maintaining current levels of service to the public.

But Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg said the budget does not include $12 million to $25 million that the county could lose to state funding cuts now being considered in Sacramento. And service levels are bound to drop noticeably when those reductions occur, he said.

“The worst-case scenario is $25 million,” he said. “The best case is really hard to figure out. It changes every day.”

The worst case would include cuts of $2 million in court funding, $6 million in health and welfare support and up to $17 million in property taxes that pay for such programs as firefighting and libraries, he said.

Anticipating sharp state cuts, Wittenberg required county departments to submit plans to reduce their costs to the county by 5%.

A summary of the plans was forwarded to the Board of Supervisors on Thursday as “a second budget” that will give the board a better idea of the painful decisions to come.

The departmental cuts, which would save $11.5 million, would eliminate 159 county jobs, about half of which are vacant, Wittenberg said.

As apportioned under Wittenberg’s backup budget plan, public protection agencies would lose the most jobs, a total of 67, including 42 at the Sheriff’s Department and eight in the district attorney’s office.

General governmental agencies would lose 38 jobs, health agencies 24 and the Fire Department 15.

The possible 5% reductions, along with other options, will be considered by the Board of Supervisors at budget hearings beginning Aug. 17.

But the supervisors have a history of supporting law enforcement over other government services when budgets are tight. When the board cut most budgets 5% last summer, reductions to law enforcement agencies were between 1.9% and 3.5%. The Fire Department received a 4% increase.

Supervisor Vicky Howard, a member of the county budget committee, said she doesn’t expect across-the-board cuts this time either. The supervisors will set spending priorities based on a department’s importance to the community, she said.

“Law enforcement and fire safety are very important to me,” Howard said. “I also feel strongly about programs for children and the library. It’s very difficult to take away from one and give to the other. I’m not looking forward to this.”

As the proposed budget was released Thursday afternoon, Wittenberg and his analysts struggled to explain how the county can add tens of millions of dollars in spending and dozens of new workers over the last year and then argue that it has been cutting back in response to dire economic times.

“It is misleading in that anyone just glancing at the budget can think that this is an organization that is growing,” Wittenberg said. “That’s happening in the areas where we are mandated to provide service, but in those areas where there are no mandates, we’re contracting.”

Wittenberg said that nearly 100 jobs have been eliminated over the last year and that the county has cut the programs over which it has most control by $31 million in two years.

That amounts to 10% to 12% reductions in costs to the county by most departments, he said. The supervisors also implemented a hiring freeze six months ago, and 457 of the county’s 6,888 authorized jobs are vacant.

However, the bulk of the cuts have come from the 25% of the county budget where the supervisors have the most control, Budget Manager Bert Bigler said.

The other 75% of county spending is for programs, such as health and welfare assistance, where the level of service is mandated by state and federal laws--or for programs that are self-supporting, Bigler said.

Public assistance programs have increased dramatically as the recession has cost thousands of local residents their jobs. For example, the budget of the Public Social Services Agency is up $10 million to $110 million in one year, and 70 new welfare workers were hired in December.

“Even severe cuts just don’t show up when you throw all the numbers together,” Bigler said.

Reacting to Wittenberg’s proposed budget, several department heads said they are hoping for the best from the state, but recognize that their departments will be cut further.

Phillipp K. Wessels, director of the Health Care Agency, has already moved to save $900,000 a year by eliminating 23 jobs in his department, including 18 managers and supervisors. That meets his 5% reduction requirement.

But Wessels said that might not be enough to totally shield the county hospital, mental health and public health agencies if the state cuts are as large as feared.

“It could be much worse,” Wessels said.

Gov. Wilson has proposed a 15% cut in health funds statewide, and that could mean a reduction of $6 million out of $128 million in all county health budgets.

Assistant Sheriff Richard S. Bryce said he was not sure how many of the 42 positions his department could lose, might actually be cut by supervisors.

“We wouldn’t anticipate taking the whole (reduction) no matter what happens,” Bryce said. “The crime rate’s going up. Now certainly isn’t the time to cut back on law enforcement.”

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury said he will meet privately with supervisors to try to persuade them that all cuts are not equal.

“I’ll discuss that privately with members of the board, but I certainly don’t intend to make their job any more difficult,” Bradbury said. “Once I see the direction they’re going, I’m not going to try and create any public problems. It’s a tough time for everybody.”

Bradbury’s office lost three of its 195 positions last summer. Another 10 jobs have remained unfilled because of the hiring freeze. The district attorney has said he was forced to stop prosecuting thousands of misdemeanor offenses because of staffing cuts over the last two years.

Other departments, which are funded mostly through local fees and not with state funds, are in a better position to weather cuts.

Art Goulet, public works director, said that nearly all of his department’s $117-million budget--which pays for services such as flood control, waterworks and road construction--is supported by specific grants or local fees paid by people who benefit from the services.

“A very large part of my budget is made up of revenues that are not county costs,” he said. So public works stands to lose only about five of its 386 budgeted positions, and all are vacant, he said.

The situation is the same for the 242-employee Resource Management Agency, where Director Tom Berg said 5% cuts would equate to the loss of one of 54 jobs in the Planning Department and two of 29 positions in building and safety.

“We’re relatively in better shape than some others,” Berg said.

Ventura County Work Force

Selected departments

GENERAL FUND

FY ‘92-93 FY ‘92-93* FY ‘90-91 FY ‘91-92 (proposed) losses with total jobs total jobs jobs extra 5% cuts General 821 788 775 -38 jobs Government Assessor 149 140 138 Auditor 86 87 87 Chief Admin. Office 35 34 34 Board of Supervisors 26 25 25 County Counsel 37 37 37 Info. Systems 132 149 144 Maintenance/Grounds 154 147 143 Public 2,361 2,343 2,365 -67 jobs Protection Sheriff (police) 650 634 634 Sheriff (jail) 346 343 343 District Attorney 192 195 192 Public Defender 62 60 60 Corrections Services 333 332 325 Municipal Court 149 149 152 Superior Court 77 74 81 Animal Regulation 51 56 57 Health 957 952 840 -24 jobs & Sanitation Public Health 178 169 133 Mental Health 337 334 341 Health Care Admin. 262 251 108** Public 772 772 846 -5 jobs Assistance Welfare Maintenance 403 420 491 Welfare Admin. 76 76 85 Children’s Services 149 146 145 TOTAL 4,840 4,860 4,831 -135 jobs GENERAL FUND TOTAL 1,833 1,930 2,057 -24 jobs NON-GENERAL FUND GRAND TOTAL 6,673 6,790 6,888*** -159 jobs

* The county’s proposed budget does not include anticipated reductions in state funds. Department heads were required to submit 5% cuts to help the Board of Supervisors respond when the state budget is approved.

** The reduction to 108 health care managers reflects only a change in the department in which they are counted, not a loss of jobs.

*** The total of 6,888 jobs includes 457 vacant positions. A hiring freeze was implemented in January.

Ventura County Budgets, 1990-92

APPROPRIATIONS AND RESERVES (in millions)

FY ‘92-93 FY ‘92-93 losses with FY ‘90-91 FY ‘91-92 (proposed) extra 5% cuts General Fund $402.2 $424.2 $444.0 -$7.6,-135 jobs Enterprise Fund $77.1 $92.7 $106.5 -$0.3,-6 jobs Fire Department $47.7 $49.0 $50.0 -$1.1,-15 jobs Flood Control Dist. $40.4 $46.6 $56.4 -$1.6,-0 jobs Waterworks Dist. $25.3 $24.9 $29.8 -$0.2,-0 jobs Road Fund $20.4 $17.5 $16.2 -$0.3,-0 jobs Library Fund $9.3 $10.3 $10.1 -$0.2,-3 jobs Other Funds $8.1 $13.8 $15.6 -$0.7,-0 jobs Internal Service $67.8 $78.8 $85.2 Funds Total Budget $684.9 $736.6 $787.8 -$11.5,-159 (minus reserves)

General Fund: This fund pays for police, court, health, welfare and general government services. The budget is up mostly because of increases in health and welfare. In this fund, more than half of the costs are mandated by state and federal programs. Enterprise Fund: Most of the fund’s revenue comes from the 797-employee Ventura County Medical Center, where patient load is up 43% in three years. Also includes income from two county airports and recreation district. Most money raised cannot be spent for non-related services. Fire Department: The 462-employee fire district serves eight cities and all unincorporated areas. Money is generally restricted to use for fire services. State has proposed cuts that would reduce funding $5 million below proposed budget and $20 million in 1993-94. Flood Control Dist.: The 106-employee district oversees flood control activities countywide. Its budget was boosted by about $10 million to pay for damage in February floods. District fees, assessed against property owners, can be used only on flood control projects. Waterworks Dist.: The 39-employee agency runs four water districts in unincorporated areas. Its budget is up becaus of construction projects. Fees to district can be used only for water and sewer projects. Road Fund: The fund, overseen by the public works department, contains money from sales and gasoline taxes and federal grants. Funds can be used only on road and transportation projects. Library Fund: The 133-employee district provides library services in Ventura, Port Hueneme, Ojai, Moorpark, Fillmore, Simi Valley and unincorporated areas. The state has proposed cuts that could reduce its budget by 40% in two years. Other Funds: These funds finance air pollution, community service, sanitation and environmental control districts. Fees are paid directly by residents and businesses for services. Internal Service Funds: These funds represent the money exchanged in transactions among county departments. Total Budget (minus reserves): About 75% of expenditures in the proposed budget are mandated by state and federal programs. Cuts must come from the other 25%. The proposed budget does not include anticipated cuts in state funds. Department heads were required to submit 5% cuts to help the county respond when a state budget is adopted.