San Diego County’s finances will probably be the focus of tonight’s annual State of the County. Board of Supervisors Chair Dianne Jacob will give the speech in the midst of layoffs and questions about whether money will keep coming in from the state. KPBS reporter Katie Orr has details.
Jacob delivers the address a day after Supervisors voted to eliminate 27 positions at the county. The cuts were made to help off set a 90 million dollar decline in sales and property tax revenue. The problem isn’t expected to get any better either. The county’s Chief Financial Officer estimates a budget shortfall could grow to 153 million dollars in the next fiscal year.
The supervisors will be traveling to Sacramento this week to speak out against the state government’s plan to defer payments to counties. The money from the state goes toward various social programs the county is obligated to operate. The Supervisors say delaying the payments could financially cripple the county. Jacob speaks tonight at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon.
Katie Orr, KPBS News.