By Khalida Sarwari
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors this morning passed a $4 billion budget for the new fiscal year at the culmination of weeklong budget hearings.
The board voted unanimously to approve a budget that fills a $219.6 million deficit through cuts and labor agreements.
Among the changes approved by the board were a 25 percent reduction to funding for community-based organizations, the elimination of 309 positions and the layoffs of some 69 employees starting July 1.
The county is depending on receiving $75 million in savings from labor agreements.
To mitigate any impact the state budget might have on the county once it is finalized, the county is setting aside $9.5 million in ongoing reserves and $5.4 million in one-time reserves.
The county is also allocating $2.5 million to a cash reserve fund, which has been empty since the board adopted an ordinance in January to establish the reserve.
The board approved several restorations in the area of public safety and justice this week, including two positions to the cold case unit of the district attorney’s office, and one position to its conviction integrity unit. The board also approved restoring eight positions in the Probation Department’s recovery services unit and four deputies to the rural crimes unit of the sheriff’s office.
Throughout the week, hundreds of workers and members of community organizations showed up at hearings to plead that their jobs and services be given fair consideration.
“We passed the best budget that we could, given the circumstances,” board Supervisor Ken Yeager said today. “As the realignment of responsibilities from the state to counties becomes more clear, we will be revisiting the budget. More cuts are unavoidable.”