Placer County supervisors OK $784 million budget
Shriveling resources pose spending challenge
A bruising year for the Placer County bottom line is being reflected in a new $784 million spending package that’s 9.4 percent smaller than last year’s. The Board of Supervisors OK’d the county budget for 2009-10 on Tuesday with little fanfare – ending several months of sometimes-rancorous discussions on how to deal with dropping revenues during a recession. Hit hard by a burst housing bubble and suddenly-frugal consumer buying trends, the county is expecting a drop of 3 percent this year in property-tax revenue and a 7 percent sales-tax decrease. Jeff Bell, a budget analyst in the CEO’s office, said that the impact of revenue decreases over the past two years could not be overstated. “It’s been a significant and challenging year,” Bell said. While the budget is down from $865 million last year, Bell warned that the state’s continuing fiscal woes could result in more downward adjustments at mid-year. Final adoption of the budget brings to an end a process that started last December and resulted in several steps to shore up revenue losses, including monthly furloughs for workers and a hiring freeze on most positions. The county moves forward with 2,452 employees – 162 fewer funded positions than it had at the start of the previous budget year. Supervisor Kirk Uhler, whose wife was recently hired to an executive post with the county Child Support Services division, asked board members to separate that division’s part of the budget out of the larger vote. He then stayed in his seat and said after the vote that he abstained. On the overall budget – excluding Child Support Services – Uhler joined other supervisors in approving the spending blueprint. Supervisor Robert Weygandt was absent from the meeting. In other board business: n Supervisors approved environmental clearances for repainting and a seismic retrofit on the Foresthill Bridge estimated to cost $70 million. n The board postponed consideration of a resolution to apply for a $2.5 million federal grant for infrastructure improvements related to the proposed Hilltop Center hotel and restaurant development along Bowman Road. A staff report said at least 75 full-time jobs would be created and total project construction is an estimated $29 million. The block grant proposal will now be heard Oct. 6. n Supervisors cleared the way for a move by the Veteran’s Service Office from North Auburn to Rocklin. The board adopted a resolution instructing staff to sign a 16-year lease with Oates Investments for office space in Rocklin. The move would resolve problems with overcrowding at the existing First Street facility, a staff report said.
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How convenient that a position that had been vacant for two years and as such deemed unnecessary was all of a sudden given to Uhler's wife. But he abstained, how proper. Goes to show that even shady characters can sometimes put on a show. Maybe Rocky learns from him.
lr: You can't teach an "old Rocky" new tricks. Sorry!
Hey, if Kirk OK'ed the budget, and it included his wife's hard fought for position, should he have not recused himself from voting? If so, than other than the other known defects of character that have been well documented about him, what good is he as a Supervisor? Oh, wait a minute, he's about as useful as "Rocky." Sorry, about tha, again.
That's the "American" way. It starts in local government and goes all the way to DC. Look at all the new high $$ positions that were created in Chicago's political and academic circles for, then Senator, Obama's wife. Maybe someday Uhler's wife will be first lady....
The state is broke and the federal government is broke and I see expenditures above that are in excess of 800 million....looks like we will remain broke for some time....expect to be taxed and to pay more in taxes...... for all the above... in the near future.
Where's the breakdown of this budget? Show us who gets what and who gets cut!
justice41,
I'm sure you can find the breakdown somewhere...they have to share. But I suppose I could help you a bit, and perhaps save you some running around.
YOU'RE GETTING LESS! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MORE!
Glad to have been of help. Take care.
Yep. That's the "budget". Does that include the purchase of the "new" used public works building in Tahoe? The issue we need to be concerned about is 'unfunded debt'. That's the debt government has legislated itself into, mismanaged or spent somewhere else, with no way to replace it. How much is that and when will the tax payers be burdened with that is the issue?? The federal government has, for instance, JUST for SSI and Medicare, an 'unfunded debt' of over $131 TRILLION. About $175,000 per citizen, not just tax payers or voters, PER LEGAL CITIZEN. Where is the county with that (unfunded debt) is what worries me.
I was hoping this paper would make the info available. It seems it would have been a nice addition to the story,you know like....journalism. I know I can find the information and will as I am curious about what takes priority in the eyes of the BOS.
justice41, you should be able to examine a copy of the budget upon request. I'm sure that you can get your own copy for a fee. Call your Supervisor, their phone numbers are posted in the County's website.