The Sacramento County Sheriff’s testimony to the Board of Supervisors Wednesday revealed tensions over funding for the sheriff’s department and county human services programs, with Sheriff John McGinness saying that the county must put more funding toward public safety. 

The county sheriff’s department told the board that planned cuts to the department would lead to major public safety problems. The sheriff’s department presented to the board in its second day of budget hearings to address a $180 million budget gap. Supervisors may approve a proposed budget next week.

McGinness said the planned $80 million in budget cuts to the department would mean that the “basic level of protection and security cannot be provided.” Proposed cuts would endanger the public, as well as discourage developers and business people from investing in the county, he said.

“How can the economic condition turn around in Sacramento County when the only thing a property owner can expect to get from their tax dollars is social services?” McGinness asked the board.

Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan asked county staffers to prepare a proposal that would fund the sheriff’s department with an additional $20 million. Supervisor Susan Peters also asked staffers to examine the possibility of more funding for the department.

The board uses a set of principles in its budgeting. Its first priority is to fund programs that are mandated by federal, state and county laws, according to the proposed budget document. The document notes that the county's other top priorities are to allocate money for programs "that provide for revenue collection" and to pay off county debts.

After the board addresses its top priorities, it uses a guide for its discretionary funding. Discretionary public safety tops the list, followed by social "safety net" services. Funding for programs that create a "sustainable and livable community" is the board's next goal. General government funding is the board's fourth focus. Prevention and intervention programs are the fifth and final priority.

The county’s proposed overall budget is $4.3 billion for the 2009/2010 fiscal year. The proposed general fund budget is $2.03 billion.

The board’s budget hearing on county social services departments begins at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. For more information, read The Sacramento Press’s guide to the county budget hearings.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.