County Expects to Spare Workers Targeted for Layoff

As Ventura County supervisors gave final approval Tuesday to a host of budget cuts and revenue-raising strategies, officials said most of the 33 employees targeted for layoffs are likely to be spared.

As in past years, county managers are expected to avert actual layoffs by eliminating vacant positions and shifting employees between departments as the $531-million budget took effect Tuesday.

“My guess is it’s not going to be very many,” said Bert Bigler, chief deputy administrative officer. “We won’t know until talking to every department.”

It could have been worse. In closing a projected $12.8-million gap between spending and income in the county’s budget for the new fiscal year, supervisors opted for nearly $6.2 million in cuts and $6.6 million in income-raising strategies to avoid making deeper cuts into services and personnel.

The board agreed to spend a pot of $1.5 million in business license fees set aside amid a court battle over the ability of local government to raise fees and taxes without a public vote. Supervisors also raised revenue projections by $876,000 to reflect an improved economy, reduced internal service fees by $734,000 and approved a no-pay employee furlough projected to save $1.4 million.

During a meeting set for Aug. 5, supervisors will consider a more specific plan for what is being described as a four- to six-day furlough of all employees except public safety, hospital and other 24-hour emergency workers.

Meanwhile, personnel officials will craft a detailed report on the furlough plan to be sure that the projected $1.4 million in savings is realistic.

Also at the August meeting, supervisors will work to find $53,000 to fund a county planner who would focus on land-use issues surrounding plans for a four-year California State University campus in Ventura County.

Supervisor Judy Mikels said she would be willing to chip in a portion of her own office budget to see that happen.

“I think that shows a clear commitment to the university officials . . . that we’re very much behind bringing a campus [to the county],” Mikels said. “This is a very appropriate way to make that statement.”

The county’s budget plan for the next fiscal year was crafted to avoid a historic practice that saw leaders relying on reserves and other savings to balance the budget. The practice effectively carried deficits from one year to the next and led Standard & Poor’s to lower the county’s credit rating this year.

Officials feared that another dip into savings would result in another drop in its credit rating, making it even more expensive to borrow money for large county projects.

“I think we are going in the correct direction in getting back to a position where we’re in the black so we can face the rating agency in a way that says that we’re doing what we have to do,” Supervisor Frank Schillo said. “We need to continue to hold the line.”