Inside the County Budget

Your June 23 editorial, “The ‘Chicken Little’ Problem,” was wrong. As a result of the efforts of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California’s cities and counties, the voters approved Proposition 1A to keep local taxes in their respective communities.

This has provided the necessary revenue to support public safety, libraries and other vital services without the tax increases championed by The Times and liberal legislators.

Our budget supports public safety by adding 1,214 sheriff’s deputies, over $18.3 million to improve patrols and response times in unincorporated county areas, $40 million to enhance multi-jurisdictional communications systems, $22.6 million to expand jail operations and phase out early release, and $1.4 million for increased patrols in county parks. This budget provides funds for the district attorney to hire 18 hard-core gang prosecutors and $1.2 million for school-based probation officers. It also adds nearly $300,000 to the DISARM program that confiscates weapons from felons on probation. Library hours will be increased and new libraries will be constructed, benefiting our community.

Michael D. Antonovich

L.A. County Supervisor

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The June 23 editorial calls for more predictability in the budgeting process. May I point out that contributing a portion of this year’s billion-dollar windfall and next year’s projected windfall, which could be even larger, to pay off part of the county’s long-term pension obligations would increase the stability and the predictability of the budget while further ensuring secure retirements for the workers.

Bruce Perelman

Board of Investments

Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Assn.

North Hollywood