Added County Layoffs Loom in Budget Cuts : Finances: Supervisors to weigh CAO’s call for finding ways to trim $20 million to offset anticipated losses in state funding.

Ventura County’s chief administrative officer said Monday that the county must prepare to slash as much as $20 million from next year’s budget to offset reductions in state funding, a move one supervisor said will almost certainly force layoffs.

CAO Richard Wittenberg said officials should immediately begin finding ways to slice the discretionary portion of the county’s general fund--used to help finance the Sheriff’s Department, the district attorney’s office, medical services and numerous other areas--from $165.4 million to $145.4 million.

“We know that the (state) cuts are going to be very large,” Wittenberg said. “In order to manage them, it is important that we deal with them as quickly as possible. Otherwise they will manage us.”

The supervisors are scheduled to consider Wittenberg’s request at their meeting today. If they agree to move ahead with the cuts, the supervisors must then decide which areas of county government should be hardest hit by the reductions.

Layoffs appear certain, said Supervisor Maria VanderKolk.

“Our situation is just desperate,” VanderKolk said. “I hope people understand that we are just trying to keep ahead of this problem. I think it’s very important that we start right away.”

Although the supervisors traditionally have spared law enforcement from the deepest cuts, no county department will be immune from the reductions this year, officials said. Cuts are expected to range from 5% to 15% for most departments.

“Any type of cuts are pretty difficult,” said Supervisor Maggie Kildee. “We are down to real people, real jobs and real services.”

On Monday, several department heads said they are preparing for the worst. Service reductions appear imminent, and employee morale has plummeted, officials said.

“I think the wolf is really at our door,” said Hal Pittman, county treasurer and tax collector. “If someone would say we are going to take 15% from you and we are never going to bother you again, it wouldn’t be that bad. But I’m convinced that this is not the end of it.”

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury added: “Cuts of any magnitude pretty much translate into people in our office. . . . If we get into 10% reductions and up, we are talking about some very damaging cuts.”

Health Care Agency Director Phillipp Wessels, who oversees the county’s vast medical and mental health care system, said the county must re-evaluate which services it will continue to offer.

“I think we will be looking at these kinds of cuts for two or three years until we find our way through some economic recovery,” he said. “Whatever reduction we take will directly impact our services within the agency. We have to look at the priorities.”

Although Wittenberg is preparing the county for the $20-million cut, the county could lose up to $36 million in state funding--depending on whether the Legislature goes along with Gov. Pete Wilson’s grim $51-billion proposed budget.

Last month, the governor unveiled a Spartan fiscal plan that calls for an 11% spending cut to offset deep losses of tax revenues caused by the persistent recession.

As part of his plan, Wilson wants to shift $2.6 billion in property-tax funds from local governments to the schools. This cut would come on the heels of a $1.3-billion reduction for cities, counties and special districts, part of the 1992-93 budget agreement.

Last year, the county--which gets nearly 40% of its funding from the state--was forced to cut $10 million in spending and slash 200 positions to balance its $791-million budget for 1992-93.

In addition to proposing the $20-million cut, Wittenberg is requesting that the board consider other cost-saving measures, such as switching to a four-day work week. Department heads also are being encouraged to reduce their spending now.

“It will lessen the impact later on,” said Albert Bigler, the county’s budget manager. “Every year we say, ‘Oh, this year is tougher,’ but this year really is. We have never been here before.”