County Supervisors on Tuesday yesterday decided to make the cuts as they try to deal with a budget shortfall that could grow to $7 million by June 30th.
The layoffs impact 44 employees in the three county departments: Employment and Social Services; Health; and Alcohol Drug and Mental Health.
Assistant County Administrator Pat Leary told supervisors the cuts couldn’t come at a worse time.
“It’s the paradox – at the time that our revenues tend to be at their lowest is the time that our service demands are at their highest in terms of the services that folks need in a down economy. Like food stamps, public assistance…those absolutely go up in bad times when we have less money to deal with it.”
Leary says the county has been hit hard by cutbacks in state funding and the drop in property tax revenues. Laid off employees will be given three-weeks of pay but no severance package.
The layoffs impact 44 employees in the three county departments: Employment and Social Services; Health; and Alcohol Drug and Mental Health.
Assistant County Administrator Pat Leary told supervisors the cuts couldn’t come at a worse time.
“It’s the paradox – at the time that our revenues tend to be at their lowest is the time that our service demands are at their highest in terms of the services that folks need in a down economy. Like food stamps, public assistance…those absolutely go up in bad times when we have less money to deal with it.”
Leary says the county has been hit hard by cutbacks in state funding and the drop in property tax revenues. Laid off employees will be given three-weeks of pay but no severance package.