Expecting little or no financial help from the state, the San
Benito County Board of Supervisors approved a lean $64.2 million
proposed 2003-04 budget Tuesday.
Expecting little or no financial help from the state, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved a lean $64.2 million proposed 2003-04 budget Tuesday.
The temporary budget represented a $1.7 million – 3-percent decrease – from the last fiscal year’s $65.9 million budget and included no increases in funds for programs or personnel salaries and extended a hiring freeze put in place June 2002. Officials, however, proposed no personnel layoffs.
“Thus far, we’ve been able to preserve public service levels and preserve most of the occupied county positions,” County Administrative Officer Gil Solorio said.
The Board adopted the proposed budget as a measure that would carry the county’s ability to fund services through the end of the summer.
The move also gave the Board time to discuss and formally adopt a budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year that takes into account the effects of any cuts in funding or services that the state will make in it’s budget.
“This budget holds the line on spending increases and is a balanced budget,” Deputy County Administrative Officer Terry May said.
The county’s fiscal policy requires that it has at least some form of proposed budget in place by the beginning of July to ensure that the county has the spending authority in place to carry it into the next fiscal year.
The fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.
With the state still struggling over a $38 billion deficit, county officials said it was impossible to accurately plan for the coming year.
“Unfortunately the state budget picture has become murkier,” Solorio said. “Funding proposals from the government that were thought to be iron-clad are back on the table.”
The county avoided any layoffs in the proposed budget in part because of an aggressive defunding process.
The defunding process is where the county identified positions that became vacant as a result of retirement or an employee switching jobs, and then removing the position and funding from the department’s budget and placing it in the county’s general fund.
The county defunded 18 vacant positions and saved an estimated $900,000, according to a county report.
The proposed budget also called for an extension of the county’s hiring freeze, which was established in June 2002, to help avoid a $1.6 million deficit.
County officials want to delay approving a finalized budget until the state budget is approved. The Board is tentatively scheduled to go into formal budget hearings on Aug. 4-6.
“The budget hearing is not the last chance the Board will have to make changes,” Solorio said. “This is merely a technical requirement. Later in August, the Board can still make adjustments if needed.”
In other action Tuesday:
– The Board extended the contract agreement with Planning Director Rob Mendiola to remain the interim executive director for the Council of San Benito County Governments.
– The Board approved a contract with Conor Pacific /EFW for services at the John Smith Landfill and to complete annual groundwater monitoring at the facility.
– The Board approved an agreement with the Local Transportation Authority for personnel services.
