The fiscal impact is described in the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Recommended Budget, which is available on-line at http://www.cccounty.us/DocumentCenter/View/49434.
On April 17, 2018, the Board of Supervisors adopted the County's FY 2018-2019 State Controller's Office Recommended Budget Schedules for Countywide Funds and Special Districts. These schedules meet the requirements of State law. State law requires that local government adopt a FY 2018-2019 Recommended Budget for Countywide funds and Special Districts prior to June 30, 2018 in order to spend monies for the coming fiscal year. State law also requires that the Recommended Budget be adopted prior to holding Budget Hearings. These schedules serve as a placeholder until the Board approves a Final budget. The schedules are in a State-required "line item" format as opposed to the program budget format used by the Board during budget hearings. The schedules incorporated the same total net County cost level as is presented in the County Administrator's Recommended Budget. Adoption of these schedules ensured that your Board met the requirements of State law and in no way constrain your discretion with respect to the FY 2018-19 budget.
After adoption of the State Schedules, the Board of Supervisors opened the public hearing on the FY 2018-19 Recommended Budget. The hearings began with an overview of the recommendations in the FY 2018-19 Budget by the County Administrator. The County Administrator advised the Board that the Recommended Budget and the County Administrator's Budget Message contain details on individual department budgets, programs, goals, and recommendations.
The Budget and message represented a work plan to achieve the County's mission and priorities in the coming year. A number of key issues that have informed the development of the Budget were included in the Budget and presentation, such as property tax projections, employment benefits and retiree health care/other post employment benefits, pension benefits, General Fund reserves, infrastructure/facilities maintenance, the status of Labor Negotiations, and the potential impact of other pending issues. Following the County Administrator's presentation, previously selected department heads were asked to present their key issues.
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Anna Roth presented a summary of the Health Services budget, which can be found on pages 257-358 of the FY 2018/19 Recommended Budget (Budget). At the conclusion of the presentation, Supervisor Gioia asked Ms. Roth to summarize the biggest issues challenging long-term fiscal sustainability. Ms. Roth discussed the movement towards outcome based payments, the need to invest in personnel resources, difficulties recruiting and retaining staff, and most importantly the ability to be operationally nimble to keep up with changes and challenges.
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Director Kathy Gallagher presented her PowerPoint on the Employment and Services Budget, which can be found on pages 201-256 of the Budget. At the conclusion of the presentation, Supervisor Mitchoff pointed out that increased number of adoptions were especially promising as these adoptions are for children of all ages and not just infants.
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Undersheriff Mike Casten presented a PowerPoint on the Sheriff-Coroner Budget, which can be found on pages 420-442 of the Budget. At the conclusion of the presentation, Supervisor Mitchoff asked staff to bring back detail regarding the number of deputy sheriffs funded in FY 2017/18 that are not included in the FY 2018/19 Budget. Supervisors Gioia and Glover also requested that staff confirm that resident deputies and school resource officers funded and filled in FY 2017/18 remain funded and filled in FY 2018/19.
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District Attorney Diana Becton presented a PowerPoint on the District Attorneys Office and recent accomplishments, the District Attorney narrative can be found on pages 375-388 of the Budget. At the conclusion of the presentation, Supervisor Mitchoff clarified the additional resources available to the department—$1.5 million in salaries and benefits funded with an additional $1 million in general purpose revenue and $520,000 in other local revenues.
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Public Defender Robin Lipetzky presented a PowerPoint on the Public Defender’s departmental operations, the Public Defender narrative can be found on pages 413-418 of the Budget. At the conclusion of Ms. Lipetzky’s presentation, Supervisor Mitchoff thanked all the department heads for their work on this year’s budget and recognized those in attendance.
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Public Works Director Brian Balbas presented a PowerPoint on the Public Works Department's budget, narrative can be found on pages 159-190 of the Budget, and explained the many varieties of tasks his department performs. Mr. Balbas pointed out that the potential overturn of Transportation funding and Gas Tax (Senate Bill 1) could cost the department $13 million in fiscal year 2018/19. Supervisor Gioia asked staff to return with information regarding the potential loss to the County as a whole including cities and the Transpiration Authority.
Follow-Up
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County Administration staff verified that no deputy sheriffs funded in the current year are unfunded in FY 2018/19. In fact, the Recommended Budget funds (15) fifteen previously unfunded Deputy Sheriff-Recruit positions in the department. The County Administrator is confident that the vacancy factor can be achieved and that the budget is sufficiently funded for FY 2018/19.
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Sheriff and County Administration staff verified that resident deputies and school resource officers filled and funded in the current year are filled and funded in FY 2018/19. The Sheriff’s Office has ultimate discretion as to how to deploy staff in authorized positions and may, from time-to-time, back-fill resident deputy and school resource officer positions using permanent overtime when permanent full-time staff are rotated out of those positions or leave County employment.
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Public Works and County Administration staff report that the gas tax is indexed so the projected revenues will increase annually each year. Based on current projections, the County, including cities anticipates approximately $32 million from Senate Bill 1 revenues in FY 2018/19. It is worth noting that the projections for the County and cities over the next ten (10) years is approximately $517 million, approximately $245 for the County alone (Chart Attached). Also attached is a CCTA PowerPoint presentation covering Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The overturn of Senate Bill 1 has the potential to significantly impact Contra Costa County.
Position Resolution
A position resolution is required to effectuate the position modifications, additions and deletions identified in the Recommended Budget. The resolution is provided to the Board as a companion item (Resolution No. 2018/152) on today's agenda. Resolution No. 2018/152 includes positions in the departments: Agriculture, Animal Services, Board of Supervisors, Child Support Services, Clerk of the Board, District Attorney, Employment and Human Services, Health Services, Probation, Public Defender, Public Works, Sheriff- Coroner, and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District departments. Additional positions in various departments will be held vacant in order to achieve prescribed vacancy factor dollar savings.
Changes to any recommended programs will require an equivalent reduction in funds from other County priorities in order to adhere to the Budget Policy to adopt a balanced budget.