Rivco Supervisors Approve Budget for Fiscal Year 09/10
It was unanimous, but it wasn't without disagreement.
In front of a standing-room-only crowd, the five members of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved a budget for the fiscal year which begins today (July 1), but all of them had reservations about the priorities. Of course, when you're dealing with a $130 million shortfall, things are bound to get sticky.
In fact, the budget so narrowly garnered their support that they agreed to bring it back for "tweaking" on Tuesday, July 21, after individual board members have had a chance to communicate their concerns to executive staff.
The Board debated--and often disagreed--on such matters as worsening the County's "structural deficit" by tapping reserves, on backfilling for lost Prop. 172 (public safety) revenues, on the Supervisors' "Community Improvement Fund" discretionary revenues, and a host of other items, big and small.
After a lengthy and thorough presentation by County Finance Director Paul McDonnell, however, the Board agreed that staff had done a good job at a nearly impossible task, and they voted to float a best-estimate budget on financially difficult seas, made doubly difficult by a dependence on the state legislature which has yet to announce a budget.
One caveat on the tweaking session when the budget does return in July: it will require a 4/5 vote to make changes, instead of the simple majority required for budget passage in the first place.
"I think this is a good budget," said Fourth District Supervisor Roy Wilson, tempering that remark by noting that it wasn't perfect and that he still had reservations.
"We need to make sure that we have equity," he said in reference to all departments enduring equal cuts. "Everybody shares equally. No one gets special treatment."
The Board approached unanimity on the subject of the District Attorney's budget.
"The District Attorney will take a 10 percent cut like everybody else," Wilson said, agreeing with the remarks of two of his colleagues and with the Final Budget Recommendations of Chief Executive Officer Bill Luna. Supervisor Wilson then moved approval of the budget, with the stipulation that it should be brought back for possible adjustments July 21, after staff had an additional chance to deal with the County's labor unions--including those who already have existing contracts not up for negotiation.
If this picture isn't gloomy enough, consider that Supervisors had mulled putting off their own budget until they had a state budget to react to. Finally, though, they concluded that placing a thoroughly-vetted compromise budget in the books was the best course of action for now.