Car Allowances for County Officials Criticized : Benefits: Advocates for health and social service agencies that suffered massive funding cuts question the necessity of such an expense in midst of a budget crisis.

At a time when county government is slashing programs for the mentally ill and homeless, social service agencies are fuming over recent disclosures that Orange County is spending $750,000 in car allowances for 88 top officials--some of whom are leasing Lincoln Continentals and Town Cars at taxpayer expense.

Advocates for the mentally ill and other social service agencies that recently weathered massive funding cuts are reacting angrily to reports that dozens of department heads receive a $715-a-month car allowance. The amount is about $200 more than it costs to lease a Mercedes-Benz 300E, according to a Buena Park dealership.

“For county administrators to be worried about car allowances when they are closing mental health clinics is laughable,” said Eldon Baber, executive director of the Orange County Alliance for the Mentally Ill. “The real issue is how we’re setting priorities for spending our limited tax dollars.”

At an average of $715 per month, Orange County’s car allowances for government appointees are reportedly the highest in Southern California. By contrast, Los Angeles County pays a maximum of $525 a month; San Diego County pays $534.

County administrators defended the car allowance--a perk that appointees and elected officials have enjoyed for at least 20 years, according to Personnel Director Russ Patton.

Patton and others said the allowances are just one of the incentives in an overall benefits package designed to attract talented people to the public sector. It is misleading, they argued, to isolate one component without also considering medical benefits and salaries.

“Compared to other counties we’re not the highest and we’re not the lowest,” said Patton, who receives a $715-a-month car allowance in addition to his $98,000-a-year salary.

Due to budgetary concerns, the county froze increases in the car allowances for next year, Patton said. However, decreasing or eliminating the perk altogether was not considered.

Those who receive car allowances range from an assistant airport director to members of the Board of Supervisors, who receive the most generous amount--$823 per month. The employees’ salaries range from about $70,000 to $134,000, not including the monthly allowance, Patton said.

Seventy-five executive managers receive a car allowance of $715 a month, which is included in their paychecks. Many of them drive less expensive cars and keep whatever is left.

A second group of employees has the option of taking an allowance or using a vehicle leased and maintained by the county. According to personnel records, they include, by name and salary: Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi ($120,000); Sheriff Brad Gates ($110,000), County Administrative Officer Ernie Schneider ($134,000), Fire Chief Larry J. Holms ($96,262) and General Services Director R.A. (Burt) Scott ($112,507).

Meanwhile, the five supervisors are in a separate category. They have the option of taking an $823-per-month allowance or using a county-owned or leased vehicle. All five have accepted the lease option, county records show.

But some within the community question whether car allowances are an expense the county can afford in the midst of the worst budget crisis in recent memory. Forced to slash more than $82 million from next year’s $488-million budget, county officials cut deep into social services--particularly health programs.

Among the casualties was the Garden Grove Community Mental Health Clinic, whose 1,500 mentally ill patients will be forced to seek shelter elsewhere. The closing of the clinic earlier this month was expected to save the county about $336,000 annually--less than half of what car allowances for county executives cost.

Mental health advocates said the $750,000 spent on car allowances would have covered the costs of maintaining the Garden Grove clinic, a mental health day-care program and an adoptions program for disabled children--all of which were eliminated.

“When you have these large amounts being spent that could have saved some of our programs you feel bad about it,” said La Vern Fitzpatrick, chairwoman of the Orange County Mental Health Advisory Board. “I was appalled but maybe I just don’t understand the necessity.”

Tom Uram, director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, who once described the health care cuts as Draconian, disagrees with the criticism.

“I think it’s unfair to ask me if I should get a car allowance while we’re making cuts in mental health care,” Uram said. “. . . That’s part of my compensation package.”