The Board of Supervisors held a board meeting Tuesday to discuss the budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
"Budgeting use to be a 30 day event for all department heads," Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said after the meeting.
"It's now year round. When this one is finalized, we'll start on next year's budget the next day."
Sheriff Youngblood is not the only leader in the public safety realm to voice his displeasure over the proposed 5% budget cuts that may take affect next fiscal year.
District Attorney Lisa Green and Kern County Fire Chief Brian Marshall also spoke before the Board of Supervisors, outlining the cuts that their departments have already made and how more cuts could be problematic for public safety in Kern County.
Some of the proposed budget cuts and how it could affect each department:
Kern County Sheriff's Office: $6.35 million
- Layoff 10 deputies and 16 deputy trainees
- Partial closure of central receiving facility in Kern County Jail
- Reductions to Gang and Narcotics Units
- Inability to replace aging vehicles
District Attorney: $1.8 million
- Delete 18 positions, including nine deputy district attorneys and two district attorney investigators
Kern County Fire Department: $7.2 million
- Looking for $3.6 million from general fund
- 30 layoffs to reach other $3.6 millon
Sheriff Youngblood said that he understands there isn't much money to go around, partly because of the declining oil prices, but wants the Board of Supervisors to look at other departments that could be cut more before turning to public safety positions.
