- Why doesn’t the County reduce salaries and benefits to balance the budget?
With our high percentage of represented employees we cannot legally cut employee salaries without them agreeing to it.
- What have you been doing to cut costs?
- Eliminated many contract and temporary workers
- In FY 09/10, management and unrepresented employees took one furlough day a month (4.6% pay reduction) did not receive their 2.9% COLA; this was a salary total reduction 7.5%
- Reduced IT spending eliminated almost all travel and non-essential training
- Eliminated vacation-over-max payouts to employees
- Reduced overhead including lowering thermostats and eliminating leased properties where possible
- Reducing programs, eliminating redundancies and reducing staffing levels
- We are also examining every aspect of our operations to look for more efficient ways to run our operations
3. What operational areas are being hit the hardest by budget reductions?
Hardest hit have been the Sheriff, District Attorney, Probation, Child Protective Services, Regional Parks,
Animal Care, Mental Health, the Coroner and Health and Human Services.
4. How are the decisions about budget reductions made?
We are trying to make decisions that are equitable, achievable, and have the least amount of service impacts to the community.
5. What makes up the General Fund?
A variety of taxes and property taxes- the General Fund accounts for resources except those required to be accounted for in another fund such as rates for water and garbage service. Most are discretionary. General fund monies coming from federal and state sources, including realignment funds and Prop 172 are not discretionary,meaning they are dedicated to specific programs.
6. What makes up most of Sacramento County’s funding?
For information for Fiscal Year 2012/13, view the Summary of Governmental Funds.
7. Will you seek any local tax increases? Have you raised fees?
Raising taxes would require approval from the voters, and right now we are not sure that the public wants to increase taxes. We are reviewing all of our fees to look for increases that may make sense.
8. What is the total Fiscal Year 2012/13 Budget, including General Fund and all Revenue?
Recommended Budget $3,484,371,914
9. What is the total General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 2012/13?
Recommended Budget General Fund $1,975,736,852
10. How is most of the General Fund Spent?
The majority of General Fund appropriations cover employee salary and benefit costs – nearly 50%.
11. What is the county doing to improve the revenue situation?
We continue to match current services with current available revenues, monitor local taxes, and evaluate all fees.
