Apr 21, 2008 10:27 am US/Pacific
Los Angeles County Unveils $21.9B Budget
LOS ANGELES
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Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
AP
Los Angeles County Monday unveiled a $21.9 billion 2008-2009 budget that avoids major program cuts or employee layoffs, but the plan will likely will be revised once the impact of threatened state and federal budget cuts becomes clear.
The draft budget -- down 2.61 percent from the current budget -- eliminates a net of 35 county positions by cutting vacant jobs and $36.1 million from department budgets. But in the end, the cuts the county adopts could be more severe.
Following the trend of previous years, the Sheriff's Department will receive an additional 240 positions, while the Department of Health Services -- which faces a projected $197.8 million budget deficit -- will lose 111 positions, more than any other department.
Several capital projects are recommended in the budget, including $523 million in public protection facilities, such as the refurbishment of Men's Central Jail, new barracks at Pitchess Detention Center and construction at Sybil Brand Institute.
Other proposed allocations include:
-- $30 million to handle cost increases of the In-Home Supportive Service Program
-- $10 million for the final year of a four-year plan to improve medical services within the sheriff's custody system
-- $7.2 million to provide intensive mental health services in a locked setting as an alternative to jail and hospitalization
-- $5.6 million to increase patrols in unincorporated areas
-- $3.9 million for the Sheriff's Operation Safe Streets gang enforcement program
-- $3.6 million for a summer gang suppression program.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the budget Tuesday during its regular board meeting.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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