At today’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe brought forth a motion instructing the County CEO to continue working with Governor Brown’s Administration and the State Legislature on issues affecting the County because of the State budget crisis.
A critical component of the Governor’s proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2011-12 State budget is a Realignment Proposal, which shifts responsibility for certain programs and services from the State to counties. The proposal includes new responsibilities for the Sheriff’s Department and the Probation Department, including housing of some low-level offenders in county jails going forward and overseeing certain adult parolees. Supervisor Knabe has been advocating for a Constitutional Amendment to guarantee long-term funding for these or any other programs moved to Counties.
“We have been working with the Governor and the Legislature for several weeks to ensure that the State does not balance its budget on the backs of Counties,” said Supervisor Knabe, who also serves as the Board’s executive representative on the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), which has been negotiating with the Governor. “The stakes are too high and we cannot compromise our ability to provide critical safety net services for our most at-risk residents. We must be at the table continuing to ensure that we can keep our streets safe, protect vulnerable children, and provide vital mental health services. While I continue to be concerned about the viability of the State’s proposal, we must continue to push on those issues that are most important to the people of Los Angeles County.”