Sacramento County’s preliminary or Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 is online for public review. The plan covers the broad range of services that the County provides and will be reviewed by the Board of Supervisors during Budget Hearings beginning Monday, June 15, at 9:30 a.m.
“It’s important to remember that this is a preliminary spending plan, and a final budget will be presented to the Board in September,” said County Executive Bradley J. Hudson. “We will seek additional feedback from the Board and constituents during June’s hearings and revise the plan to best meet the Board's policy and service objectives.”
For the first time in many years, this spending plan fully funds the current staffing and program needs in addition to making strategic investments in key policy areas including:
• Public Safety (Sheriff, DA, Probation): + $25 M
• Regional Parks: + $1.5 M
• Health and Human Services – including mental health, African American child death reduction, and health
services for undocumented : + $52 M
• $32.5M total investment for homeless assistance programs
The $3.7 billion plan reflects the third straight year of increased discretionary income due to higher property taxes, sales taxes and increases in Realignment Revenue. Those increases, however, are somewhat offset by some revenue losses and increased personnel and other costs.
“Through careful management of positions and spending, seeking and leveraging outside monies wherever possible, and investing in technology to improve service delivery, I am confident we can meet the challenges of the coming year while strengthening key service needs in our community,” Hudson added.
The Budget letter (overview of the budget plan) and complete set of budget documents can be found online http://www.ofm.saccounty.net/Pages/AnnualBudgets.aspx and at the County Executive’s Office, 700 H Street, Room 7650.
“Budget deliberations constitute one of our most important responsibilities as county supervisors. It’s a process that requires balancing many diverse and competing needs,” said Chairman of the Board Phil Serna. “We consider billions of taxpayer dollars assigned to law enforcement and prosecution services, to meeting the health needs of children and the elderly, and to ensuring our regional parks and animal care systems are sustainable, just to name a few. All of it must be carefully weighed and considered. Most importantly, no budget process is successful without the engagement of those we serve, and we welcome the public’s continued participation.”
Members of the public are invited to attend the hearings and may be heard regarding any item of the budget. Or, they can be watched live on Metro Cable 14 or streamed on their PC’s. http://www.sccob.saccounty.net/Pages/BOSPublicMeetings.aspx.
Hearings will be held at the Sacramento County Administration Building located at 700 H Street. For additional information, contact the County Executive’s Office at 916-874-5833.
