Sacramento County is holding hearings this week on proposed budget cuts to address a $180 million budget gap. The budget hearings are open to the public and will be held at the county Board of Supervisors’ chambers at 700 H St.

The proposed overall budget for the 2009/2010 fiscal year is $4.3 billion. Sacramento County’s general fund budget is $2.03 billion. The budget document explains that a large portion of the general fund consists of the county's general purpose funds. "All other funds in the county budget are financed with earmarked or restricted revenues," the document states.

A breakdown of the general fund is on page 9 of the budget’s introduction.

“We’re at a very challenging period of time where not only our revenues are down, but expenditures are up,” county spokesman Zeke Holst said.

The hearings begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday with an overview of the budget situation. County public safety budgets will be addressed at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The board will take up county social services funding on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Funding for several areas -- general government, municipal services, county assessor, retiree health and transient occupancy tax -- will be discussed Friday, starting at 9:30 a.m.

Indigent medical services will be addressed in a hearing at 2 p.m. June 11, and at a hearing at 2:15 p.m. June 16.

The county will make decisions on the proposed 2009/2010 budget next week. The board may adopt the proposed budget at 9:30 a.m. June 17.

Source: The Sacramento County budget document

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.