San Mateo County adopts $1.7B budget

June 24, 2010, 03:15 AM By Michelle Durand Daily Journal Staff

County supervisors adopted a nearly $1.7 billion budget yesterday after adding back a half-million dollars to maintain food preparation at a juvenile camp, reimburse welfare reductions and restore funding for a Daly City nonprofit.

The Board of Supervisors may give the Health System up to $10 million before the final budget adoption in September but first wants to see a list of critical services.

The board initially considered using $558,300 to rehire four deputy probation officers but opted to wait until the fall when the state budget is clearer.

“The reality is, come September, we’re probably going to have to do more eliminations,” said Supervisor Adrienne Tissier.

Supervisor Carole Groom disagreed, calling it “a good use of our money.”

The board also shied away from cutting $772,000 for homework centers and the Jobs for Youth program. They will be funded in part with $270,000 from non-departmental reserves and $195,000 from capital projects.

The final budget, hammered out after three days of hearings by department heads, includes a general fund $17 million larger than last year despite hefty cuts across departments that led to trimmed services and layoffs. The budget was balanced with the $36 million in program reductions but also $90 million in reserves.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s a budget any of us relish adopting,” said Board President Rich Gordon.

The county is also trying to eliminate a structural deficit which could climb to $150 million within five years without action.

Employee expenses are behind the 1.5 percent budget hike and department after department referenced the cost of personnel benefits and retirement —  $3.5 million in salary increases and $46 million in benefits increases collectively.

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Posted by Steve Sinai