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

The past week saw several major developments in Sacramento’s budget crisis, from the city’s forecasts of major deficits in 2010 to a campaign by residents against proposed budget cuts to local parks. Here’s a roundup of the past week’s budget news: Huge deficit predicted for 2010 The Sacramento City Council is studying a slew of proposed cuts to resolve its $50 million deficit. But once the city deals with the current $50 million deficit, it will face a projected $30 million deficit for the 2010/2011 fiscal year, according to Leyne Milstein, the city’s finance director. “Gap will grow to $30 million as revenues continue to decline and expenses increase in FY 2010/2011,” Milstein wrote i