Riverside County public safety agencies underfunded
Riverside County’s public safety agencies are collectively under-funded by $44 million or more and will likely require financial infusions to offset their deficits by the start of the next fiscal year, according to a report to be reviewed tomorrow by the Board of Supervisors.
The Executive Office will present its first-quarter 2015-16 analysis during the board’s policy agenda Tuesday morning.
While most county agencies are spending in line with revenue, the Sheriff’s and Fire departments, District Attorneys’ Office and Office of the Public Defender are struggling with cyclical funding shortfalls identified during the board’s June budget hearings..
According to Executive Office staff, Sheriff Stan Sniff is facing a $32-$42 million hole by the end of the current fiscal year, due mainly to salary and benefits increases guaranteed under a collective bargaining agreement.
The fire department has an estimated $1.3 million in red ink on its books, according to the report. The shortfall also stems from higher labor expenses, though Executive Office staff appeared confident that Fire Chief John Hawkins and his executive team would be able to find “cost-saving measures” to narrow the gap.
District Attorney Mike Hestrin told county accountants that nearly $3 million of his projected shortfall in the current fiscal year had been whittled away — but the agency remained about $9 million over budget.
Public Defender Steve Harmon projected a $1.7 million year-end shortfall, another product of “unfunded salary and benefit increases,” the Executive Office said.
