County Budget Watch

Los Angeles County supervisors must make $600 million in cuts to balance the county’s $13.1-billion budget. Supervisors have scheduled 15 days of hearings and deliberations to help determine what services to cut.

AT ISSUE

The proposed budget calls for more than 5,000 layoffs and at least $215 million in wage and benefit concessions opposed by the coalition of 13 unions representing most of the county’s 80,000 rank-and-file workers.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

* The coalition called for a 45-day moratorium on budget deliberations while county and union officials pursue new revenue sources, legislation to relieve the county from mandated programs and possible sales of underused county assets.

* Supervisors said they were reluctant to suspend deliberations, as the county is already three weeks into its new fiscal year. But County Chief Administrative officer Harry L. Hufford called the balance of the union’s suggestions a responsible set of proposals. Still, county officials did not back down from their demand for union concessions.

* Union spokesman Bart Diener warned that there will be a strong reaction from employees and the public if the county proceeds with plans to close health centers, clinics, libraries and other facilities.

TODAY’S TESTIMONY

Among the speakers scheduled to testify before the board today are: Sheriff Sherman Block, Probation Department General Manager Barry Nidorf, Department of Children’s Services Director Peter Digre, County Librarian Sandra Reuben and Eugene Mornell, executive director of the Human Relations Commission.