Sheriff Youngblood made his case to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday for a one cent sales tax increase that would help fund public safety departments that are facing a five percent cut in the 2016-2017 budget.
After the Board denied the chance to put the tax increase on the November ballot, Sheriff Youngblood said that cuts to the department will start tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.
Kern County Sheriff's Department's Donny Youngblood will speak live at 2:30p on Wednesday regarding the cuts the department is making.
"What that means is there will be places that don't have a deputy respond as quickly," Sheriff Youngblood said after the meeting.
"What we're looking at the closure or consolidation of some substations. We're looking at everything to save money."
Sheriff Youngblood says KCSO faces $6.7 million in cuts for next year and making cuts now is necessary to try to reach that number.
"Will our response times be slower? Absolutely," Sheriff Youngblood said.
"Not just starting today. They've been slower. We're down 70 deputy positions."
The Board of Supervisors says that a grassroots campaign requiring signatures for the sales tax initiative is the alternative for people who want the potential increase to make it on a future ballot, but it will not be eligible for November's ballot.
