Fire agency pushing for funds

By Tim Hearden

August 14, 2000 Web posted at: 10:54 AM EDT (1454 GMT)

REDDING, California (Redding Record Searchlight) -- Public safety would get a boost in Shasta County's proposed final 2000-01 budget, but it apparently isn't enough for the fire department, which issued the only appeal to be heard as the Board of Supervisors conducts its budget hearings Monday.

County administrators propose a $3.5 million ledger for the fire department, but department officials want an additional $281,869 to help cover the rising costs of safety clothing, workers' compensation and administrative expenses, said Marc Romero, the department's division chief of administration.

"If we take other monies to deal with these increases, we'd have to take it out of our operating budget," Romero said Friday.

"We've given them $1.5 million in general fund dollars," responded County Administrative Officer Doug Latimer. "Our contingency is down to $1.2 million. We certainly value fire (protection) but we don't see where we have any more to give this year."

The fire department is in the midst of a large-scale effort to bolster funding for its 19 volunteer fire companies since a task force advised supervisors last summer that the agency isn't bringing in enough money to meet minimum safety standards.

In June, supervisors agreed to let the fire agency collect fees from insurance companies for medical calls, a practice expected to bring about $195,000 a year to volunteer fire companies.

In November, voters served by the volunteer companies will decide the fate of Measure A, a $30-per-parcel tax increase for fire equipment, which would raise about $450,000 a year.

The Fire Department's appeal may be the only sound of discord in the county's proposed $241.6 million overall budget, which includes about $44 million in general fund money raised from property and sales taxes, fees and other local sources.

For the first time in several years, the Sheriff's Department won't be appealing its proposed allotment. Sheriff Jim Pope's office has a pledge of $23.2 million, an increase from its $22.5 million budget of 1999-2000. The county has bumped up its planned general fund support of the sheriff's office by more than $900,000, from about $9 million to about $9.9 million.

The increases would allow the department to hire an additional animal control officer and keep two sheriff's service officers at the main Shasta County Jail, and keep the Detention Annex open to overnight prisoners, Undersheriff Larry Schaller said.

"We're finally in a strong economy, and while the county isn't flush, at least they were able to meet our needs," Schaller said.

Through its general fund, the county would also pick up the Probation Department's $440,000 bill for housing inmates in the California Youth Authority and hire a handful of new employees, bolstering the agriculture commissioner, the auditor-controller, the county clerk, the treasurer-tax collector and the Local Agency Formation Commission.

The $241.6 million overall budget is up from the $224.8 million ledger for 1999-2000, largely because of increased state and federal funds for mandated programs such as the Department of Social Services, Latimer said. In all, supervisors will consider approving 72 new positions, mostly supported by state and federal dollars.

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