Globe Newspapers

A Reliable
Voice in the
Community

Volume 6
Issue 46
1/27/10 - 2/2/10

Home

Breaking News

Alameda County leaders told to prepare for another tough budget year

From the Globe News Desk

State Controller John Chiang was the guest speaker on Friday at a meeting of the Alameda County Budget Workgroup. He provided a bleak assessment of the state’s financial situation and offered sage advice to county officials as they prepare for another difficult budget year. Chiang warned that local resources “may be on the blocks” if the state doesn’t act quickly to address a budget deficit he estimated to be $21 billion for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

“The state of California has some difficult decisions to make regarding its finances, and it really must make those decisions now,” Chiang said. “There is no $21 billion fix. A lot of decisions must be made to fix the situation. They’re going to be difficult; they’re going to be painful. But the way the state’s finances work, we’re going to have a much bigger problem on our hands this summer if we fail to act soon.”

Chiang’s appearance came at a crucial time for Alameda County and other local governments. On Jan. 8, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released his proposed 2010-2011 state budget, which called for further significant cuts to core county health, social services and public safety programs and an array of cost shifts that would force counties to shoulder more of the burden for safety-net services mandated by the state. The proposals could decimate key services including in-home care for elderly and disabled residents and childcare and other support services for low-income residents.

Following Friday’s meeting, Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi said, “The details of the state’s dismal financial picture were not easy to hear, but we very much appreciate the forthright comments and insights John Chiang offered us today. His talk was a difficult dose of reality for us all, but we now feel a little better prepared as we enter into discussions about our 2010-2011 county budget that will surely result in some very difficult decisions.”

Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, who chairs the budget workgroup, said he appreciated Chiang’s frank assessment of the state’s finances, which he contrasted with what he described as the governor’s attempts to sidestep state budget woes by passing them off onto other government entities.

“We cannot begin to truly deal with the dire financial situation we find ourselves in until we can speak honestly and openly about its real causes and about truly viable solutions,” Carson said. “When it comes to our leaders in Sacramento, that kind of candor has sometimes been difficult to find. It was therefore extremely refreshing to speak today with John Chiang and to hear some unvarnished truth about the fiscal realities that continue to have a drastic impact on the quality of life in our community.”