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

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

The Sacramento Press is publishing a memo from County Executive Terry Schutten on hundreds of new planned layoffs for county employees. Read Schutten's Aug. 24 memo to county employees here. The county’s latest general fund deficit figure is $54.5 million. Plus, $7.8 million will need to be cut because building activity is poor, Schutten wrote. The county is planning to cut 360 positions Sept. 27. In addition, county officials are proposing to cut 16 hours per month from the workload of county employees who are represented by unions. The cuts in work hours are proposed to start Nov. 8. Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento County continues to be hammered by the failing local and state economy and now faces a $17.8 million hole in its budget because the county is receiving much less money from sales taxes, property taxes and vehicle license fees, according to a letter County Executive Terry Schutten prepared for the Board of Supervisors’ July 28 meeting. The $17.8 million gap is only part of the county’s budget mess and does not account for funds the state may take or borrow from the county. Taking and borrowing funds from local governments is part of the state’s budget package. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may sign the state budget Tuesday.  The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors also wants to

Sacramento County officials began budget hearings Tuesday with an explanation of the county's poor financial state, noting that the county is expecting an ongoing pattern of poor sales tax revenues, among other problems. The county is also facing criticism about its budgeting practices from credit rating agencies, said Nav Gill, chief operations officer for the county. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors is addressing a $180 million budget gap in budget hearings this week. Supervisors may approve a proposed budget next week. 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. “This budget is the mos