On July 23, The Sacramento County Superior Court will hear a team of attorneys argue that the recent budget cuts made to the County Medical Indigent Services Program are in violation of the California Welfare and Institutions Code. Lead Counsel Stacy Wittorff from Legal Services Northern California and Abbi Coursolle from the Western Center on Law and Poverty will represent the petitioners in the case of Poole v. County of Sacramento in an effort to maintain what medical services the County offered prior to the recent passage of the 2010-2011 county budget. At least 725 county employees will be laid off, and program budgets will be heavily reduced as a result of the county budget approve

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

Severe budget cuts to Sacramento County programs and controversial layoffs for 186 employees in the Child Protective Services unit are part of the 2009/2010 fiscal year budget that was approved by the Board of Supervisors Friday. The county, which had faced an immense budget gap of $76 million, laid off 300 workers last month. The total budget the supervisors approved is $4.2 billion. Around $1.9 billion of that total is the county’s general fund. More than 700 county employees have been laid off since July. CPS has faced criticism from the county’s grand jury and MGT of America, Inc., a management consulting firm, over child fatalities. Ann Edwards-Buckley, director of the county’s Depa

Health advocates and physicians made last-minute comments on Thursday opposing planned cuts to county public health programs. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, which faces a $76 million budget gap, is expected to approve a budget Friday with major cuts to programs. The board’s final budget hearing for the 2009/2010 fiscal year will start at 1:30 p.m. Friday. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at 700 H St. Earlier this month, the board approved layoffs for 300 county employees.  Zachary Hold, a primary-care physician, said additional proposed cuts to public health would lead to patient deaths. The cuts would also increase the amount of time patients would wait to

Sacramento County’s elected officials laid off 300 employees Tuesday, which brings the total number of layoffs to more than 700 since July, according to county spokesman Zeke Holst. Susan Peters, chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors, said at the Tuesday board meeting that the layoffs were needed in response to the ailing economy. In her comments, she foreshadowed possible upcoming layoffs to address the county’s $76 million shortfall. “I honestly don’t think that this is the last time you’ll see us back here with position reductions,” Peters said. “And we may be able to tweak a few things next week, but it’s not going to be very much, if anything,” she added. “I’m sorry the economy is

On top of its current $68 million shortfall, Sacramento County has a new $8.1 million budget gap from falling sales tax revenues, Sacramento County officials told the Board of Supervisors Wednesday. The new budget gap means that layoffs — in addition to the 382 currently proposed — are a definite possibility, which is unfortunate, said County Executive Terry Schutten in response to a question from The Sacramento Press. The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to make final decisions today to balance its 2009/2010 budget. However, the situation changed in light of new information that the county’s sales tax revenues are plummeting again. The board now plans to make its final budget decision

Sacramento County managers are strongly opposing a suggestion from Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli to cut a benefit that helps employees save money for retirement. A representative from the Sacramento County Management Association (SCMA) told the Board of Supervisors on Friday that managers are making sacrifices to assist the county, and are not being treated fairly. “We keep hearing by public comment that managers need to take more cuts,” said Sue Elliott, acting president of SCMA. “Yet, we feel we have done our part.” Elliott made her remarks during the board’s fourth day of final budget hearings. The most recently updated figure for the county’s budget deficit is $68 million.

It would be an understatement to use the word “passionate” to describe the emotions of the hundreds of people who gathered in the Board of Supervisors' chambers for Thursday's budget hearing. The word “livid” would best describe the mood of the crowd as elected officials considered making $48 million in cuts to county social services programs. The supervisors are planning to cut more than 360 positions as they face a new budget gap of more than $54.5 million. In addition to the scores of planned layoffs, the board proposes cutting 16 hours per month from the workload of county employees who are represented by unions. The supervisors will hold another budget meeting tomorrow and are schedu

The county’s planned budget cuts to local health services drew withering criticism Wednesday from a member of the public health advisory board and public interest attorneys. During the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors’ second day of final budget hearings, critics charged that the cuts were unlawful and decided in a “closed-door” process. The supervisors are planning more than 360 layoffs and cuts to numerous county programs to address a budget gap in excess of $54.5 million. Wednesday’s hearing addressed proposed cuts to health services in numerous areas including immunizations, California Children’s Services, Community Health Promotion & Infectious Disease Prevention, Community Di

A union that represents Sacramento County clerical workers and social workers is alleging that the county government’s plans to cut 360 positions and reduce employee hours are illegal. In response, the county’s labor relations director said the county’s plans are “perfectly legal.”   The United Public Employees Local 1 is fighting county management’s planned cuts to positions and hours. County Executive Terry Schutten outlined county management’s proposal for the layoffs and cutbacks in an Aug. 24 memo that can be read here.   Schutten’s memo says the county now has a $54.5 million deficit. Plus, $7.8 million will need to be cut from the county’s budget because building activity is poo