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

Photo: Sheriff John McGinness It still sounds bad: The county laid off more than 240 employees earlier this month. But it was supposed to be even worse: A total of 800 layoff notices were sent to county employees in June. Though 800 pink slips were sent to employees in June, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and officials at county departments took steps to prevent several hundred of the planned layoffs, according to a county spokesman. The county made major budget cuts to its departments and laid off 243 people to respond to its previous $180 million budget gap for the 2009/2010 fiscal year. The 243 figure does not account for layoffs at the Sacramento County District Attorney

Mayor Kevin Johnson is worried that the state’s plans to take local revenues could lead to more layoffs of city workers and slow major development projects. County government officials are also alarmed about the state’s plan, which could be approved by the Legislature on Thursday. Legislative officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are planning to use local funds to help balance the state’s $26.3 billion budget gap. The Legislature may take $1 billion in gas tax funds and $1.7 billion in redevelopment funds from local governments throughout the state. The state plan also includes borrowing $2 billion in revenues from local property taxes. Earlier this month, the city laid off 135 worker

For about 180 city employees and roughly 790 county employees, Thursday was the last day of work. The city layoffs are part of the budget cuts the city approved when it passed its budget last month. When it passed its budget, city officials closed a $50 million deficit. County layoffs came with the Board of Supervisors’ approval of its proposed budget last month. The county government had faced a $180 million deficit. For its final budget in September, the Board must still close out a $19 million budget gap in the state-mandated programs the county administers, according to Linda Foster-Hall, the county budget officer. Some of the city’s unions made concessions to city managers in retur

Sacramento County is holding hearings this week on proposed budget cuts to address a $180 million budget gap. The budget hearings are open to the public and will be held at the county Board of Supervisors’ chambers at 700 H St. The proposed overall budget for the 2009/2010 fiscal year is $4.3 billion. Sacramento County’s general fund budget is $2.03 billion. The budget document explains that a large portion of the general fund consists of the county's general purpose funds. "All other funds in the county budget are financed with earmarked or restricted revenues," the document states. A breakdown of the general fund is on page 9 of the budget’s introduction. “We’re at a very challenging