LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Fiscal Chief Offers Ideas to Save $200 Million

Los Angeles County’s chief fiscal officer said he has found ways to save more than $200 million and help ease the pain of budget cuts and bail the county out of its worst-ever financial crisis.

But Chief Administrative Officer Harry Hufford warned that most of the ideas could hurt the county’s ability to raise money in the future.

Some ideas, like charging children to use libraries and voluntary days off without pay for workers, may not be considered by the Board of Supervisors because of the outcry they would elicit. Hufford’s report, sought by Supervisor Mike Antonovich, identifies 11 areas where selling assets or making changes in the way government does business could earn the county up to $211 million.

Among the cost-cutting proposals: having a private firm take over data processing, selling advertising space on Health Department vans and on lifeguard shacks, and paying employees once a month instead of every two weeks.

Hufford also said the county could earn up to $25 million by charging a fee for elementary school children who visit county museums and libraries.

Another $20 million could be raised if county employees volunteered to take nine days off per year without pay.