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 a series of hearings and deliberations to help them determine what services to cut.

AT ISSUE

The County Department of Health Services is facing a proposed budget cut of $100 million, which would force the closure of four of six comprehensive health centers and as many as 29 of 41 clinics. The Mental Health Department is facing a $17.7- million cut, resulting in across-the-board service cuts, including the loss of nearly 200 patients’ beds.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

* Medical authorities said that hundreds and possibly thousands of people will die as a result of the budget cuts as services are delayed or eliminated.

* Health Services Director Robert Gates said that unless county funding is increased by more than $120 million, the county will lose about $90 million in additional state funding.

* Further cuts could be necessary if department officials are unable to negotiate a 8.25% wage concession for all employees, which is already built into the budget. Gates said that even if the concessions are adopted, it could cause the department problems in recruiting and retaining medical professionals.

TODAY’S TESTIMONY Scheduled to testify before the board: Director of the Department of Social Services Eddy Tanaka, Acting Director of Department of Beaches Stan Wisniewski, poet Wanda Coleman, writer Ray Bradbury, Malibu Mayor Carolyn Van Horn, Duarte Mayor Margaret Finlay and Jack Foley of People for Parks.