While Sacramento County’s budget problems are likely to result in harsh cuts to public safety and social services departments, some of the smaller budget cuts are raising concerns among certain organizations. Sacramento County’s elected leaders are expected to decide this week whether to cut funding from several groups, including the Sacramento Tree Foundation and the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Board of Supervisors plans to approve the county’s budget Thursday or Friday. Hundreds of employees could lose their jobs as the supervisors address a $181 million budget gap. The Sacramento Tree Foundation, which promotes and administers tree plantings, may receive no funding

Expressing outrage during Monday's county budget hearings, Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness told the Board of Supervisors he did not believe public safety is its top priority. “We're dealing with this challenge that we cannot take ... (and) the public can’t take it,” McGinness said. Board members plan to wrap up work this week on a budget with a $181 million deficit. County administrators say they have found ways to restore $59 million to the budget, but that would still leave a $122 million gap. McGinness told the board that county officials are asking him to cut $37.6 million. To make those cuts, he said he would need to lay off as many as 255 deputies, including all the deput

Sacramento County officials plan to lay off 725 employees in response to the county’s budget hole. The Board of Supervisors will discuss the county’s $181 million gap and planned layoffs at budget hearings next week. Board members may approve the budget for the 2010/2011 fiscal year next Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, according to the county’s schedule of budget hearings. The proposed budget figures released by officials Thursday include major cuts to programs as well as the planned layoffs. Interim County Executive Steve Szalay said at a Thursday morning press conference that the proposed budget was the third consecutive county budget containing deep cuts. “This is a sad day in the hi