Dire Results From Budget Cuts Predicted

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday heard from a parade of department heads warning that proposed budget cuts would mean less affordable housing, reduce law enforcement training, eliminate services for homebound veterans and severely curtail many other essential services.

“The cost is going to be borne by the victims,” said Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas. He also said proposed state budget cuts could reduce funding to prosecute rape, gang crime, spousal abuse, major narcotics trafficking and other offenses.

Rackauckas’ office could lose millions more if the county doesn’t compensate for decreased revenue from a state sales tax that provides more than three-quarters of the agency’s funding, he said.

The district attorney’s office is one of several county departments expecting to take hits under Gov. Gray Davis’ proposed budget.

Along with the expected loss of state funding, the county must trim spending because of its bleak financial outlook stemming from the 1994 bankruptcy -- which saddled Orange County with millions of dollars in annual debt payments -- and a shortfall of revenue from property taxes.

Last month, county Chief Financial Officer Gary Burton unveiled $97.9 million of recommended spending cuts. While some cuts involve internal changes, such as altering the financing of the new courthouse in southern Orange County, other proposed cuts would reduce funding for mental health services for the poor, funding for senior citizens and veterans and efforts to lure filmmakers to Orange County.

The county Health Care Agency and Social Services Agency bore the brunt of the cuts. Angelo Doti, director of Social Services, told the supervisors the cuts could reduce medical care for the poor, decrease adoption of foster kids and delay assessments of potential foster homes, which would result in increased use of institutional care. State cuts also mean welfare recipients will have a harder time finding work, he said.

Warnings of Difficulties

“There are a lot of folks you serve who will definitely suffer,” Board Chairman Tom Wilson told Doti after his presentation.

Other department heads did not receive such sympathy.

Bill Baker, director of the Community Services Agency, said proposed cuts of county funding for the Human Relations Commission would reduce services for hate-crime victims and law enforcement, and would eliminate violence-prevention education for 10,000 students.

Supervisor Bill Campbell disagreed.

“I think you’ve played with the numbers to [over-dramatize] the problem,” he said.

Paula Burrier-Lund of the Housing and Community Development Department said the proposed budget reduction for her agency -- $13 million less for low-income housing -- was acceptable.

“Although it would hurt to cut the program, given the situation the county is facing, it is a reasonable proposal,” she said.

Supervisor Chris Norby then proposed eliminating the remaining $22 million in funding the agency receives.

No Action Taken

The board took no action Tuesday on the proposed cuts and is not required to pass the budget for the next fiscal year until late summer. The budget is expected to be in excess of $4 billion.

Supervisor Charles V. Smith proposed setting up a county task force, to be headed by former Irvine Co. executive vice president Gary Hunt to study the proposed cuts and analyze the county’s fiscal management and fee-for-service programs.

The task force would also look to outsource or eliminate some services, and reduce health-care and retirements costs. The board will vote on the proposal March 4.