Countywide : Deep Cuts Possible in Jail Operations

Sheriff Brad Gates, who said Wednesday that he already expects to lay off at least 20 deputies assigned to county jails, may have to consider further layoffs and possibly close some jail areas if the eventual state budget reduces funding to counties.

Under a worst-case scenario, Gates said, thousands of prisoners would be released early because he would not have enough guards to look after them.

What the possible cutbacks would mean to Orange County residents is reduced public safety, Gates said during an interview.

“The jail is the only place I can go to make cuts,” Gates said, explaining that he has already pared down the number of administrative employees, investigators and some patrol deputies because of state budget cuts in past years.

Gates said he is anxiously watching two proposals still under consideration in Sacramento, where state legislators have argued since July 1 over how to resolve an $11-billion gap between expected state revenue and planned expenses.

To help bridge that gap, Gov. Pete Wilson has proposed shifting $475 million of property tax revenue from county governments to other state-funded operations, according to the state Department of Finance. Gates and other county officials said that Orange County would lose about $9 million under that plan, and that 60 to 80 sheriff’s deputies, many of whom work in the jails, would lose their jobs.

Gates said he would also stop using three tents that house about 270 inmates at the James A. Musick Branch Jail in Irvine.

A competing proposal, put forth by a legislative conference committee, would take more than $14 million from Orange County coffers. That proposal could result in Gates closing half the County Jail space, laying off about 120 deputies and other personnel, and kicking 2,000 inmates out of the County Jail system.

Gates said he considers the second proposal less likely to win approval, but is still concerned because the budget figures under consideration in Sacramento change daily, he said.

The Sheriff’s Department was spared some of the deep cuts that other county services, such as health care, which occurred in July. At that time county officials, anticipating reduced state funding, cut spending by $43 million, said Ron Rubino, county budget director.

“If (the county) loses $14 million, all bets are off” this time around, Rubino said.