Senate Majority Leader Steinberg, your proposal to shift $3-4 billion a year in ongoing programs AND costs to counties as a way to solve the state budget deficit is a whole new way to play the shell game.

Do you think we’re stupid? Do you think the public is?

[Read about it here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/06/senate-democrats-outline-plan.html]

Puhleez!

So while the media and sages are mulling this one over, let me point out  just a few teensy weensy problems I have with your plan to realign programs and costs:

1. Been here, done that. The state likes to transfer its responsibility to local governments. Sometimes you give us money to pay for new or existing responsibilities, but after a few years guess who is left holding the bag?
2. Get some guts. The Legislature has spent years creating huge behemoth programs. You want to cut your costs by inflating our costs with programs we didn’t create and don’t want?
3. Look us in the eyes and promise on your honor that once you divest the state of responsibility for these programs, you won’t create new ones as soon as  you have a smaller deficit. Yeah, right.
4. Do you think you’ve got public support to raise taxes on things like oil production, permanently extend the higher vehicle license fee rate, and delay corporate tax breaks? You must be pretty confident you can do that and get your majority re-elected. Good luck with that one.
5. You want to give counties  ”greater authority to seek local tax hikes from voters”? Are you proposing to erode Prop 13 and the required 2/3 majority vote required to raise taxes? Seriously, dude. I mean, Senator Dude.
6. If you cut the deficit by offloading state costs, you’re not erasing the deficit. You’re just pushing it downhill to us. Don’t want it, Senator.

I sure hope the minority party doesn’t think duty stops with  a vigorous fight against tax hikes. They’d better fight just as hard to insure you take care of the problems you created.

I’m not buying this plan to “plant the flag next to a long-term plan to restructure government in California”  and sure I hope my colleagues in local government aren’t either. We’re not stupid. Neither is the public.

And that’s all I’m going to say about that. Today.

We’re not a large county. Our total budget is around $143 million. Perhaps our numbers don’t seem too bad, but proportionally, these are major setbacks. They’re going to hurt.

Over the last five years, the General Fund has dropped by almost $11.7 million and revenues are down 7.1% from last year.  Board policy is to maintain a minimum of $1 million in a contingency fund, however this year it is proposed to contain just  $750,000 and will likely be all that stands between us and draconian cuts that will have to be made after the state budget is approved.

While the cuts are being couched in terms of employee positions to be eliminated, what that actually means is a reduction in service levels to the public. These are just some of the actions being proposed: the “high” points, if you will.

Due to the privatization of Tuolumne General Hospital, the Visiting Nurses Association, and other cost-cutting actions, the Board has eliminated 270+ permanent positions over the time I’ve been in office. This year’s budget proposes to further reduce the workforce by 70 permanent employees (26 employees will be moved under a tri-county Child Support Services Department).

Staff is asking the Board to consider allocating the yet-to-be received Transient Occupancy Taxes approved by the voters this month to restore some positions slated to be cut (including restoring the 4-H Program manager  and Public Defender’s attorney to full time, adding back an on call Animal Control officer, and a half-time Director of Library Services, the Public Health Officer (to .8), and restoring a Road Department and housekeeper position.

Some of the significant proposed reductions include the elimination of the Board’s Assistant Clerk (necessitating consideration of a reduced Board meeting schedule), back-filling the Board Clerk’s workload with a portion of the CAO’s executive assistant’s time, eliminating three full-time positions in the Assessor-Recorder’s office, eliminating four employees from the Facilities Management Department (and relief positions, as well), transferring the Film Commissioner to the Tuolumne County Visitor’s Bureau, reducing the Information Technology Department by two employees, delaying hiring of a District Attorney’s investigator, a reduction in hours for two Public Defender’s attorneys, eliminating three employees from the Sheriff-Coroner’s budget, not replacing ten Sheriff’s vehicles, demoting two positions, and eliminating a Jail Commander position.

The Probation Department is slated to lose a position, the Community Development Department four positions, and Environmental Health, one.  The Library is proposed to lose its 1/2 time Library Director as well as operating hours and Bookmobile days, although all branches will remain open. The Recreation Department is proposed to operate seasonally rather than year-round and two full time positions could be eliminated.

In the Public Works Department, Engineering is proposed to lose one full-time position. Road Maintenance revenues will be down almost $1.2 million due to reductions in state and federal funding. Road funds will be used to supplement the Department and one position is proposed to be cut. It goes without saying that this may impact both construction projects AND snowplowing. Please take it easy on Evan this winter – it’s not his fault (nor is it mine!).

County Fire has reduced permanent positions by two (resulting in paperwork processing delays, but not a reduction in fire services). The County proposes to continue staffing two Amador Contract stations (seasonal), Mono Village (full-time) and Jamestown (six months). The Solid Waste Department will lose one position. Solid Waste fees are being proposed to be increased significantly to cover repayment of an internal loan from the Traffic Mitigation Fund ($1.7 million).

The Health Department will be hit particularly hard due to a large reduction in H1N1 funding and other grant funds that are not available in the coming year. Clinic staff and the Public Health Officer positions are proposed to be eliminated to balance the fund budget. Obviously, such a reduction would be catastrophic should a pandemic or other major health crisis emerge. A significant amount of Behavior Health one-time contingency funds will be required to balance the budget and the recently established Crisis Stabilization Program will be retooled (but actual coverage will increase).

The Welfare Fund is proposed to lose four full-time employees due to retirements, vacancies, and layoffs. This despite the fact that there will surely be an increase in demand for services. Ambulance Fund revenues will be down by over a quarter of a million dollars and the budget is balanced without contingencies or capital improvement allocations. The Airport Department staff is proposed to be reduced by one full-time position and the Airports Director position will be transferred into the Public Works Department  to begin to oversee a new Fleet Management division.

Like I said, those are some high points… Yeah, right.

We anticipate a crowd at Tuesday’s meeting. Folks will come out in support of the Departments and positions they feel are indispensible and the Board will try to make the best of a very, very bad situation. We need to hear from you, but please realize that every Department is important to someone. The Board will need to make some difficult decisions.

The hardest part is that Tuesday will not be the end of the cuts and readjustments, but merely another difficult day of our work in process.

Over the last four years, in order to live within our means, the Board has adhered to critically important key principles: 1) don’t spend more than we take in; 2) maintain reasonable reserves and contingencies; and 3) minimize and promptly repay debt. These actions have enabled us to look beyond the immediate future to the long term. It’s a good thing.

Among precautionary measures taken were the closure of Tuolumne General Hospital, the establishment of the Tuolume County Economic Development Authority with the City of Sonora, projecting multi-year budgets, and being proactive to  identify and eliminate unnecessary costs.

These have been both necessary and helpful, although in and of themselves they will not be enough to close a yawning gap between revenues and spending.

Beginning in March, the Board heard a number of presentations from Chief Administrative Officer, Craig Pedro. Here’s what we were told and how we responded:

• Mar. 16: FY 2010/11 multi-year budget projections - Craig forecasted the economy wouldn’t see a notable and sustained change for 2-3 years, more cuts and cost shifts would be made by the state, local revenues won’t rebound for 2-3 more years, and all the County’s major operating funds  would experience operational deficits if the Board did not authorize immediate corrective action;
• Apr. 6: FY 2010/11 budget strategies – he recommended and the Board adopted nine specific actions to be taken (see below) to prepare the upcoming draft budget;
• Apr. 27 – May 11: Craig made reorganization proposals – six of them – which ranged from moving Behavioral Health into the Human Services Agency to moving Recreation and Libraries under the CAO’s office (not a popular option with supporters of either agency). This will result in the elimination of 10 full time employee positions;
• May 11: 2010 Early Retirement Program – his plan would eventually allow 14 employees to retire and should save the County $1.3 million over the next five years; and
• Jun. 1: the Board directed him to close gaps and balance each of the County’s major funds. We selected priorties for balancing the budget.

The following nine strategies were adopted to develop the budget:

1. Implement a selective hiring and expenditure freeze in order to build fund balances to be carried over to next fiscal year;
2. Economize where possible (all non-essential funding requests were limited by department heads);
3. Reduce staffing where work volume indicated a reduced workload (Human Resources, the Community Development Department, Public Works, and Environmental Health);
4. Stop providing services that can be provided by the private sector (previous years have seen more aggressive action on this front, although the Tuolumne County Film Commission and some County services are being spun off to be provided by Avalon Healthcare);
5. Evaluate the elimination of some existing services  that are unfunded state mandates (not much cost savings can be realized here);
6. Implement streamlining and cutting costs via reorganization of internal departments;
7. Negotiate cost savings via bargaining with the County labor unions (pension reform, benefit concessions, furloughs, etc.);
8. Offer an early retirement program (40 people came forward); and
9. As a last resort, implement staff reductions and  reductions in services via extending the payoff of some debt, utlize $1 million in cash reserves to preserve jobs and services, and prioritize public safety and roads services, while implementing common sense measures in other departments.

In Part II, we’ll summarize the results of the impending draft budget. Guaranteed you’re not going to like it much.

Over the next few months the budget may get better… but more likely, it will get worse. Far worse.

Until the state approves their budget, ours is just a work in progress.

Some critical county departments will remain open (see below). Inconvenient? Yes! Necessary? For sure!

As I am sure you remember, this doesn’t mean a paid vacation for county employees. This means they will not be getting paid and most county buildings won’t be heated (or open) to save a signficant amount of money due to this year’s rough budget. Thanks to all employees (and electeds) who voluntarily gave up work days to stretch the county budget.

******

County furloughs. What does this mean as far as availability of County services? When combined with the usual Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years County holiday days of November 26 and 27, December 24 and 25 and January 1, all County offices and services will be closed between November 23 and November 27, and between December 21 and January 1 with the following exceptions:

Emergency Services – Sheriff, Fire, and Ambulance

• Available as usual – 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Office functions (e.g. Civil Division of the Sheriff’s Office) will be closed

 Snow Plowing

• Services will be provided as needed throughout scheduled furlough periods.

Health & Human Services

• Child Support Services – Open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on November 23-25; December 21-23 & December 28-31.
• Social Services – Open with limited staffing
• Public Health – Open November 23-25.

Behavioral Health

• Crisis Services will be available by calling 533-7000

Tuolumne General Medical Facility: Skilled Nursing Facility

• Available as usual – 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Fiscal Services – Clerk/Auditor/Controller, Treasurer/Tax Collector & Recorder

• Open November 23-25 from 9:00 am–1:00 pm
• Open December 21-23 & December 28-31 from 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Animal Control

• Open November 23-25, but closed on November 28.
• Emergency on-call available November 26 & 27.
• Open December 21-23 & December 28-31 & January 2.
• Emergency on-call available December 24 & 25 and January 1.

Office of County Counsel, District Attorney’s Office and Office of the Public Defender

• County Counsel – Staff on-call to handle unscheduled court appearances.
• District Attorney’s Office – Open November 23-25 & December 21-23 & December 28-31.
• Public Defender’s Office – Open November 23-25 & December 21-23 & December 28-31.

If members of the public have questions about office closures prior to the furlough days, they should call the appropriate department directly or the County Administrator’s Office at 533-5511. If an emergency need for service arises between November 23 and November 27 or December 21 and January 1, please call the Sheriff’s Department at 533-5815 who will contact the appropriate department staff on your behalf.

The last few days we’ve been in Sacramento at the Cities Counties Schools Partnership Summit, Rebuilding California from the Ground Up. Along with about 500 other local electeds and administrators, we worked to identify and flesh out potential options to address the dysfunction at the state level. Obviously, dysfunction is manifested via the failure to solve our budget crisis, but that is actually a symptom of some more serious systemic problems. 

Friday night at about midnight, I put out a call for opinions on a range of options for reforming California’s broken governance system. To date, 46 of you have completed the survey and although I wouldn’t say the survey was random or scientific, the results are interesting. If 46 doesn’t sound like many, hey, we’re a small county!

 Q.1 The state should not be able to divert or borrow local tax revenues to fund state programs or state mandated services.  Of 46 responses, 78.3% agree, 15.2%  disagree, and 6.5% depends.

Q.2 Budgets should be multi-year, performance based, and establish prudent reserves to achieve measurable outcomes and improved stability during periods of financial turmoil. Of 46 responses, 91.3% agree, 6.5% depends, and  2.2% disagree.     

Q.3 New programs or mandated funding obligations should be approved only if the budget authorizes a new, dedicated, reliable, and adequate funding source or explicitly provides for measurable offsetting in state or local operations. Of 46 responses, 93.5% agree, 6.5% depends, and 0% disagree 

Q.4 Change requirements for legislative approval of state budget and tax increases (currently 2/3 vote requirement). Updated results appear in blue. Of 46 responses:

Q.5 Require new funding sources for statewide ballot measures that impose new obligations. Of 46 responses,  84.8% agree,   6.5% disagree, and 8.7% depends.

Q.6 Require periodic legislative reauthorization of existing programs (every 10 years) – especially those that have increased in cost faster than state revenue growth. Upon completion of evaluation with Legislative Analyst’s office, continuation of programs should be contingent on reauthorization and funding by the legislature. Of 46 responses,  78.3% agree,   2.2% disagree, and 19.6% depends. 

Q.7 Reform term limits: either eliminate or extend the length of service for legislators to achieve greater effectiveness and responsiveness to priorities of the people, including changes on how they are elected, limits on the length of their terms, duration of legislative session, and the way in which the legislature operates.  Of 46 responses,  60.9% agree,  23.9% disagree, and  15.2% depends. 

Q.8 Institute open primaries to eliminate ideological extremes (nonpartisan open primaries wherein voters could vote for any state or congressional candidate, regardless of voter’s party registration). The two top voter getters, regardless of party, would compete in the general election. Of 46 responses,  78.3% agree,  15.2% disagree, and  6.5% depends. 

Q.9 Increase legislative transparency (legislature should not operate in secret but should function under same open meetings and open records requirements as local governments and no legislation should be enacted without being publicly available and published for 24 hours prior to action). Of 46 responses,  84.8% agree,  13% depends, and 2.2% disagree. 

Q.10 Shorten legislative sessions, financially reward time in district (90-180 days in session per year and rest of time, legislators attend to business with constituents, not in Sacramento). Of 46 responses,  69.6% agree,  19.6% depends, and 10.9% disagree.

One person felt so passionately about what’s happening in California that he didn’t confine himself to answering multiple choice questions. You may disagree or agree with him, but you can’t ignore that his comments represent the feelings of a growing segment of society in California. Here’s what my friend Ted wrote:

It appears that this is the week that will change the face of California counties for many years to come.  As has been widely reported through Capitol sources, the Big Five is expected to meet tomorrow to put the finishing touches on a plan to close the state’s gaping $26.3 billion hole. 

There is not a shred of good news in the package for counties.  Of all the increasingly catastrophic ideas the Legislature and Administration have thrown on the table over the last weeks and months, counties are “all in.”  Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg told the press today “there is no question” that local governments are part of the budget solution.  Among the atrocities:

• Proposition 1A borrowing – Until we see the final budget language, it is not clear how iron clad the securitization provisions will be.  Talks of “guarantees” may fall on deaf ears on Wall Street;
• HUTA (transportation dollars) raid – Two years of raiding these funds means the loss of more than 4,000 county public works jobs and the effective decimation of local public works departments statewide.  After two years of layoffs, how do we ever re-build these departments;
• Redevelopment agency (RDA) take – The final contours of the RDA proposal are not presently known, and further details are unlikely until shortly before the vote is taken.  No matter what form it takes, all RDA proposals that we are aware of are legally questionable;
• Health and human services reductions – On top of a series of devastating cuts, the Legislature appears to be going along with an ill-advised and unachievable proposal to privatize eligibility functions for a range of social service programs, and;
• Corrections reforms – How the Legislature plans to achieve over $1 billion in cuts to the state corrections agency has been kept under wraps, but impacts to local governments and public safety agencies are sure to be significant.

And frankly, this is just the short list.  We will not know the full scope of the hits to counties and the communities we serve until legislators are ready to put up their votes on perhaps the most disastrous spending plan in history.  Unfortunately, due to a lack of transparency in the process and, despite counties’ repeated attempts to engage in conversations about these issues, no interest or concern in understanding the impacts that will result has been evident. 

Assuming the Big Five wraps up The Deal tomorrow, the houses are expected to vote on budget and trailer bills by mid-week.  And to what end?  We all know we will be right back in this mess by October.  This budget is nothing but a cold slap in the face to California’s counties and does nothing to solve the structural budget problems that California faces.  Counties all need to brace for the consequences that will follow.

If ever there was a time to stand up and shout, the time is NOW!  Counties across the state must alert their legislative delegations that a vote for this budget that contains the array of destructive raids, cuts, and borrowing is a vote for local government ruin.  Cumulatively, the state’s budget actions are going to take many counties to the brink and put others over the edge.  And, honestly, we are not sure the Legislature truly comprehends the devastation they will have wrought.

We have presented the Legislature with alternatives, argued against these ruinous proposals, and articulated the devastating impacts that will ensue.  But the Legislature has chosen either to turn a blind eye to the impacts to our mutual constituents or opted to protect other interests at our expense.  Whatever the case, counties must remind our state’s elected representatives that when they take a budget vote this week, they are casting a vote to send counties off a cliff.  And we will take with us the hungry, sick, disadvantaged, mentally ill, abused, disabled and poor for whom we provide vital services; we will take with us a promise of safe communities, drivable roads, and livable neighborhoods; and we will take with us a network of service delivery that actually means the difference between life and death, safe and endangered, well and sick. There is nothing to be proud of in this vote, and the votes should be cast with an acknowledgement and awareness of the consequences.

The timing of this weekend’s budget events is especially profound, given the concurrent activities of the more than 500 county, city, and school leaders who convened in Sacramento on Friday and Saturday to focus on Rebuilding California – From the Ground Up.  Lively discussions of state governance, accountability, and fiscal reform produced a range of ideas for transforming the roles and authority of local government entities. What the participants may not have fully realized is that we will face a future of rebuilding California from the ashes, once the Legislature takes its action this week. (More will follow on this weekend’s summit in a future transmittal.)

In writing the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers said “…That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…”  Truer words were never written.

Please. Take the time now to pick up the phone and call your legislators.  Let them know what their vote will mean to THEIR communities and THEIR constituents.

The Summit, put  on by the Cities Counties Schools (CCS) Partnership  (which represents California’s 7,930 local elected officials), is being presided over by our friend CCS Chair/San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon. We are meeting to identify potential solutions to the state’s chronic problems, including deficits, late budgets, and an inability to deal with critical issues such as water, energy, education, and health services.

Local governments, still waiting for the Governor and legislative leadership to announce a budget deal, are extremely concerned about that deal’s impacts on services and local people. We’re hearing that they plan an unprecedented raid on local folk’s revenues – Prop 1A funds, transportation $$, and other “creative” funding responsibility shifts - to partially close the very large budget deficit. That’s not right. So the Summit is about creating a framework for change in the state/local relationship and in how governance and finance work. Reform!

California is ripe for reform. I’d like to know what you think about some of the options we’re debating. None of these have been adopted or embraced by the CCS Partnership yet – they’re all on the table. Tomorrow we’ll get into work groups and see if we can’t prioritize and agree on these and other options. This is by no means a complete list of everything under consideration – but we don’t want to wear you out. Please tell us. What do you think?

http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/129390363DD2B784/

Before I go into bad news, I have to say that you are amazing! I’ve been working with leaders of the local safety net programs to make sure that critically important basic needs programs continue to feed, clothe, and house the increasing number of people impacted by the depressed economy. The Sonora Area Foundation came to one of our meetings and based on what they heard, put together half a million dollars (including $250,000 in matching funds). These went directly to some key providers to supplement their strained budgets. Now that’s more like it!

Back to ballet slippers. As I write, ATCAA is scrambling to put together a grant application for major stimulus bucks to provide computers, training, and jobs in our county. A major broadband grant was awarded to a local internet service provider. In addition, a project I have been trying to get funded since elected is on the ATCAA list likely to be funded by the federal government: live streaming video of Board of Supervisors meetings AND software that will make it possible for you to download staff memos and attachments to Board agenda items. Before meetings you will be able to read everything the Board has in front of them and afterwards, you will be able to listen and replay exactly what is said and done by every supervisor and every staff member. This will be a great advance of transparency in county government.

Meanwhile back in the soup kitchen, we approved a draft budget in June – that was good, but it wasn’t all good. In order to do that, significant cuts were made in some existing services. As the economy fell, we reduced the budget accordingly. By the end of June, we had cut over 100 positions (in the last year, both vacant and filled, including privatized services like Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice). That’s a lot of local jobs and services and we’re still not down to where we will have to be to maintain a balanced budget when the state passes its budget. After we learn the extent to which the state will take local revenues, we’ll be able to adjust again and adopt a final budget. The news from Sacramento is not good. We anticipate a raid on your tax dollars that now go to Roads and other general fund departments, not to mention reductions in all the Health and Human Services departments.

The Library Department in District 3 alone took a huge hit. The Pinecrest and Mi-Wuk Village library branches have closed and it is only due to the commitment and generosity of community members that Mi-Wuk will re-open their building on a limited basis as a community center/private lending library for the next year. For now, the Tuolumne and Twain Harte libraries are safe. The WOW bookmobile’s time on the road has been cut and its regular driver’s position eliminated. We are looking into reinstating her ½ time as a result of interest from several service clubs in keeping that service going. Amazing! Our draft budget keeps Recreation programs functioning until the end of September. We’re figuring out how to keep youth centers open beyond then and reopen pools next summer. Talks are proceeding in Tuolumne and Twain Harte with community members and groups who are interested in helping that happen. That’s amazing too.

The Board is mindful of the priorities many of you expressed in my Listening Sessions: Public Safety and Roads. We haven’t cut a single filled Sheriff’s Deputy position and hopefully will not. Fire services are intact at last year’s level now, but as you know that isn’t saying a whole lot. Solving the Fire coverage issue is on our list of serious issues to address when we get the budget approved. Public Works’ Road budget is at risk to be raided by the state, perhaps by as much as $1.5 million a year. If that happens, the funds the state takes are the ones available to fix potholes and do snow plowing. Not good.

On the bright side, as the state is taking away money, the federal government made stimulus funds available (no matching dollar requirements) for us to purchase two new transit buses. These trolley buses, purchased with the federal government’s money, were looked at by some as a very frivolous expenditure in the present economy, but they were actually a better deal than regular buses. They cost slightly less than regular buses, cost the same to maintain, and will replace two of our aging fleet that needed to be retired. All that and tourists are supposed to like them better too! Ballet slippers again.

Incredibly, the state government at the time of writing, has not approved a budget. We’ve reduced the county budget significantly in anticipation, cutting whatever we can in advance and steeling ourselves for what is inevitably to come. From everything I have heard, “local government” will bear the burden of most of the cuts. I beg to differ. Local government will survive – it’s real people who will suffer. And that’s a pity.

Please call if you have questions or comments about the necessary budget cuts we will be making. You can contact me at 533-5525. I may not have a lot of good news for you, but if you’d like to meet with me in your community, my District Office Hours are:

August

• Weds., Aug. 5, 2009, 10:00 – 11:30, Tuolumne Museum, Carter Street, Tuolumne
• Weds., Aug. 12, 2009, 10:00 – 11:30, Twain Harte Community Service District, Twain Harte Drive, Twain Harte
• Weds., Aug. 19, 2009, 1:00 – 2:30, Mi-Wuk Village Community Center and Private Lending Library, next to the Post Office

September

• Weds., Sept. 2, 2009, 10: 00 – 11:30, Tuolumne Museum, Carter Street, Tuolumne
• Weds., Sept. 9, 2009, 10:00 – 11:30, Twain Harte Community Service District, Twain Harte Drive, Twain Harte
• Weds., Sept. 16, 2009, 1:00 – 2:30, Mi-Wuk Village Community Center and Private Lending Library, next to the Post Office

Like you the county is dancing in new ballet slippers, but still hungry. That’s just wrong.

Are you concerned about proposed county budget cuts that may impact Tuolumne Recreation, Library, Youth Center, and other important services? Do you have a creative alternative for the county to consider?

The Tuolumne Township Citizen’s Group will host an informational meeting tonight with Teri and County Administrator Craig Pedro to review next year’s budget and the proposed service cuts necessary to make sure the county’s budget remains balanced.

Tuolumne County Budget Town Hall Meeting
Monday, June 8th, 2009, 7:00 pm
Tuolumne Veterans Memorial Hall

Tuolumne County Administrator Craig Pedro will discuss the economic conditions that led to the crisis, answer questions, and present a best-guess estimate of anticipated revenues from the state (a general prediction given ongoing state budget discussions). He’ll also share his proposed draft 2009/2010 budget – including cuts – to be considered by the Board of Supervisors the following day.

Teri is seeking serious, creative, and community-supported ideas on how to continue some at-risk programs. Community volunteer coordinators will also attend and hand out information on their efforts to extend safety net services and enlist volunteers to help out.

Please join us for this important opportunity to be part of the solution for Tuolumne, District 3, and the county.

For more info, contact Teri at 533-5525 or email info.