Sonoma County Government : Closing the Gap

Sonoma County. The chosen spot of all the earth as far as nature is concerned, According to the famed plant wizard Luther Burbank Diverse County, with 1,010,000 acres of land and 1574 miles of scenic roadways, the county is rightfully famed for its agriculture did a culture, industry

and recreation, as well as for the amazingly successful ethnic and economic mixture of its more than 340,000 residents on for the forward looking philosophy of its local governing bodies. Now we invite you to take a closer look at Sonoma County in the eighties with your host,

Rich McGlinchy. You know often when we come on the program cinema Canon eighties would tell you it's a special program, and that's true because many of our programs are very special. But I think the one we're doing at this time is probably the most special we've

done. For a long time. We're gonna be talking about some of the major problems they face California counties Evelyn for making I want a part to you first, and I think that I should probably read this to you. Many California counties are on the brink of

financial disaster. Proposition 13 which is, you know, passed in 1978 truck, the county primary source of revenue, which was property taxes and other county revenues, have not kept pace with the cost of state mandated programs. County do not have the authority to raise their own operating

funds, and therefore they've been forced to rely on the state more and more for funding off county programs. Over the last decade, counties have seen a significant increase in the need for public services, with little or no offsetting revenue. To support these services and programs, the

public demand for increased health, welfare and criminal justice has consumed and decimated the county's meager budgets. The result is a devastating reduction and rationing of local programs due to state mandated operations. Now who gets hurt in the process like this? It seems so out of control.

Well, everyone you meet 58 counties in California. In fact, the quality of life at the local level is definitely being jeopardized. Now, in this program, we're gonna be talking to officials with normal county government. On the left of your screen is Jim Harverson, the chairman of

the board of supervisors on a ride. Your screen is Tom Shop in the county Administrator. These gentlemen have been dealing with state mandated programs and problems for the past several years. Tom, both in Plaster County and here in Sonoma County. And Jim is a member of

our border super visors for the past little over four years. So, gentlemen, let me get each of you to make sort of an opening statement, after which we'll see this film we have in the County Supervisors Association, California, that tells more about what we're talking about.

Jim, how do you feel about the date mandated programs on the problem we're talking about? Well, I've been involved in local government, city councillor or the Board of Supervisors for going on 16 years. Now it's it. It's gotten worse every year. You constantly see the state

come up with needed programs trying to address some need, perceived a real, and they go ahead. And they say, Well, these county, these programs were going to be operated mainly by the county's. What happens is they don't send the money down to do the job. A

couple of quick examples one was the mental health system where one time we had made 37,000 people in state mental institutions, they dropped that to 6000. The US these people were supposed to be a cared for by community based operations funded by the state through the

county's Well, we can guess what happened. Not all the money came down from the state. More and more local money is having to be put in to make it, make it work, and we're seeing the problem get larger and larger. Another one is going to be

the age problem where we have a huge social problem. It's just not going to stop. But we have to Seymour and more local money going to simply do basic public health facilities and training and personnel just to keep it going. And it's gonna get worse. I'm

afraid in coming years and the same time as you indicate before we got a cap on our funds. And these are just two examples of little what's gonna happen like so I don't see it getting any better unless we see some sort of change in state

funding. All right, Jim. Tom, you've don't with this from the standpoint of being the administrative, another county coming to us here four years ago. Give us your thoughts. I think one of the key things that many people don't realize is that county governments perform a dual

role. We do state programs as we're talking. Jim mentioned state mandated programs. But in addition, we do local services, and that's the That's where the real problem comes up. We have very limited local dollars, as you mentioned, Prop. 13 Past and Limited does. And although everybody

agrees with those with the principles of Prop. 13 it has inhibited the county's financial abilities to do programs. Where we really get into difficulty is when you start comparing local services such as police protection roads, fire library libraries would have have to be funded from our

local dollars. And then the state continues to require programs such as social services. Jim mentioned mental health, uh, some of the welfare programs, general assistance, things of that nature, that all of what you're very important. But the state has never provided adequate funding for that, So

the limited property taxes and local revenues that county government has has to be used to finance those programs on. As I said, everybody agrees with him. We we all believe that they're very needed services. But the other municipal type services that we have to perform then

go lacking for that. Well, uh, justice, There's no record commenter, and we're not off the record, but top of my head. Um, it almost seems arrogant to me as a taxpayer. Rather remember, counting on my family to have the state didn't indicate that we have now

passed the law. There is a new program. This is what we want you to do. Here is the number of people who want you to put involved in it. Okay, fine. We'll do that. It sounds like a good program. How about some money and suddenly Oh,

no, no, no, you go with. But it seems to me like and we'll get into this after a film. Give me, like, Tom it In many cases, didn't we start out with the state? Actually, assuming a lot of the funding of, like, 75% of program or

something like that. And it doesn't seem like very long before the shoot shoes on the other foot. Well, that goes back again. Rich to the original role of county government. We were created as an extension of the state where the administrative arm to operate state programs

on and the state, therefore, has a responsibility to provide the money for it. With the the transition that occurred with Prop. 13 the responsibility for funding went to the state. Since we no longer have any local revenue basis that the Board of Supervisors can utilize, and

the state has just has not provided money, they provided the mandates to do the new programs. They do what's called a partnership. Many programs have relationships of 50% 75% 90% of the money they provide, but it's never adequate to meet the needs of the required services.

All right, Uh, early in 1988 See Sack, that's county supervisor associate in California, identified the need to build on education program about coming government. Now we're going to have a film for you in just a moment here and here's a little bit about the two main

objectives was to portray the variety of county services in the programs which impact quality of life of us, the county residents. They also wanted to illustrate what can happen to the quality of life when counties continually faced physical crises because of proliferation of state mandated programs.

Quality of life in California is being threatened on all fronts when hard times strike sick, Edie, homeless, elderly and the young looked to the only government capable of narrowing the gap between poverty and dignity. County governments, like many of the people it serves, county government is

in dire need. It's budgets are being strained to the breaking point. Those who cannot look after themselves are not the only ones threatened by this fiscal shortfall. County services include everything from firefighting sheriff's patrol on emergency medical care to agriculture, irrigation, flood control, transportation, polling booths

and health inspections to parks and crisis counseling. County services touch all our lives every day. There's so widespread that we tend to take them for granted. Yet the gap between county resources and program costs is widening at an alarming rate. Unless we do something to reverse

this trend, it will result in a poorer quality of life for everyone In California, County services weren't always underfunded and overstrained. When California's early settlers formed local governments, life moved at a slower pace. San Diego was California's First County. It's set a pattern that the others

were to follow. Establishing grassroots control through citizen participation in county government. Local government quickly proved its worth. As California's populations spread across the state, citizens voted to increase local control by expanding county governor. When growth shifted into high gear, county government continued fostering the health, welfare

and safety of all citizens. It also provided infrastructure and a secure workforce that spurred economic growth. Blessed with numerous natural advantages, fertile soils, mineral wealth and an excellent climate, California grew rapidly, earning its proud title, the Golden State. Today, this hard won progress is being eroded.

Fiscal gap is now so wide that some counties cannot maintain the services on which our quality of life depends. To better gauge the gaps impact, let's briefly surveys a major problem. Each jail inmate costs county taxpayers more than $25,000 a year. L A county's jail houses

over 22,000 inmates, more than the prison populations in 46 states. Today's inmates are tougher and more violent than those of a decade ago. Nine out of 10 enter jail with drug problems. Gang members, AIDS sufferers, handicapped inmates, even pregnant prisoners add to the problems of operating

deteriorating jail. Some county facilities are so overcrowded that courts have ordered criminals released early. Other underfunded counties can no longer afford to keep sheriff's patrols on duty at night. While county officials struggle for funds to maintain law and order. Most property taxes are spent on other

state ordered program. The result. A growing gap between the promise and reality of public protection. California is last in the nation in per capita transportation spending. We all want to relieve traffic congestion. Unfortunately, there isn't sufficient money for the maintenance of county roads. Bridges and flood

protection project, as a result, are underfunded. Road system is slowly grinding to a complete standstill for transportation to the gap between promise and reality is spreading like shortfalls in law enforcement and transportation. Underfunding also threatens the quality of our environ. These pipes have been leaking toxic

chemicals into the local water table with deadly results in environmental matters to the gap between promise and reality is growing at an alarming rate. California is the only large state in which counties foot the entire bill for general assistance welfare programs as county general operating revenues

continue to decline the California Legislature and acts new laws mandating even mawr local services. 97% of these mandates have no funding sources. Often, the state simply transfers large, expensive problems, like general assistance to county government in welfare. The gap between California's promise and the real world

is widening as never before. Local option programs provide community services like libraries and parks. In many cases, these are the first to suffer when costly state ordered programs soak up scarce local funds. California's tax dollars are increasingly controlled by state government. 20 years ago, 65% of

county budgets were spent on state mandated programs. Today, that figure has skyrocketed to 95%. The counties with more to pay for them they can afford are in a no win situation. Libraries are supposed to be quiet, reflective places, but this is the wrong kind of peace

and quiet. County libraries began closing in 1987 because there was no funding to keep them open. Who pays the price when the community loses a library or part everybody? And if it can happen here, it can happen anywhere in California for local option programs like libraries

and parks. The gap is widening when tragedy strikes seconds count. Trump treatment makes the difference between life and death. When proper care is received within the first hour, nine out of 10 accident victims survive. Unfortunately, emergency treatment is getting hard to find. This is because many

private emergency rooms have closed down, diverting dangerously ill patients to already overburdened county hospitals. As a result, lives are often jeopardized by long waits for emergency care. By the early 19 nineties, some 50,000 Californians will have fallen prey to a number of hospice beds available does

not begin to meet this need. AIDS poses an enormous health problem not only in terms of human suffering but also because of its massive, unforeseen medical costs. Consider that many existing policies specifically exclude AIDS sufferers and that one in five citizens cannot afford health insurance. Counties

have to take up the slack. Placing an unfair burden on beleaguered budgets in health care to the gap between promise and reality is white. As a new century draws near, the pioneering vision that shaped California's counties is needed more than ever. When we voted in Proposition

13 on began spending limit, we were voting for fewer taxes knocked inadequate services. Yet today's fiscal crisis has brought county governments to their knees, threatening the quality and in some cases, even the very existence of local services. What's the solution? Closing the gap between county programs

and budgets is a complex challenge. Some hard choices must be made of local programs, and services are to survive. One thing is clear. The fiscal gap can be closed only by the fundamental strength of county government. Citizen participation. It's time to stand up and speak out

for California's counties. Here are a few ways you can help contact and support your local board of Supervisors. Lobby state legislators on behalf of grassroots services and local control right to the media and express your support form or county funding. Above all, let the Legislature. No,

it's your quality of life that's at stake. If enough of us get involved, we can keep life in the nation's most populous state secure, productive and happy. Let's ensure California's counties and citizens their fair share of existing tax revenues. Let's close again. You

know, gentlemen, that really is a good film. I'm glad we have that. I make a comment about that film again before I asked you gentlemen to comment briefly on the film is called County Government. Closing the Gap. The film is produced for the County Supervised Association,

California by the California Council on Partnerships, and it was paid for by GT California, who contributed the funds to put this material together so it can be shown to the people in California. Now you can get copies of this tape the county government center, either administrator's

office, the county borders supervised office of the public Information Office. We'll make available this tape for you to show your clubs. What do you think of that tape? I think it does show with threats of county government, different things that counties involved in Sonoma County. Frances

with transportation, hospitals, land use, planning, police, AIDS, public health, mental health. We do a number of different things, and I think this is nice that people get to see so much of this is done by the county. We're gonna ask you questions after breaker. But Tom

what? Your thoughts are probably the same thing that Jim says. I think it finally really shows what county government does. Most people don't don't have an understanding of the breath of services that we provide. They tend to have some perspective of a city but a county

governments quite different because of the dual role of the responsibilities. So I think it's no excellent presentation is to call us the dark continent of government. People would know what was going on the city, You in the City Council in Petaluma. They know what's going on

with the state in the federal. Unfortunately, they wouldn't and I tried hard, but I couldn't seem to conviction that a lot of things were going on with probably, uh, ladies, we're going to take a pause right here and now for the station to bring the audience

of public service announcement, after which Jim Harverson, Tom Shelton and I will talk more about closing the gap to the state mandated programs. When you live in a helping hand, you give yourself way, becoming something so much more than words could ever say. A brother to

your neighbor and to those and be friends. Won't you give today the United Way? Bring happiness again? Love is still the answer. We are still the way the gift is in giving, and in living what we say. This'd John Denver asking you to make your United

way pledge now and give for a better tomorrow for all of us. And thanks because thanks to you, it works for all of us. United Way. No account. In the eighties, we've been talking about county government and the fact that county governments in California, but having

a really tough time the last several years and mainly that's due to state mandated programs and both these gentlemen mentioned a little bit about them early on in the program. We just saw the film. I think it's a very good film. Will tell you where you

can get a look at that film for your club or your group later on again. Jim, uh, we've seen and heard what's happening. What did the county's done to combat? What I would call this unfair imposition of state mandated programs to some large extent. A huge

revolution and local funding. We're going to three million additional sources. One has increased fees for anything from public health, mental health building fees, park fees largely put on the first time home building, which isn't necessary, the way to go. But that's what's happened. Secondly, they have

been a lot of assessment districts formed for development. And then there's also been redevelopment agencies, which are something that is a financing to, which also brings up a lot of contention between government agencies. But those are the three ways in which we have tried to raise

money to make a smudge of government fee supported as possible. I philosophically tend to agree with this, but I think we're beginning to reach the outer limits of that. We're gonna have to have some more broadly based taxes to provide services in more broadly based. But

that's how we've tried to make parts of the county government such a building. Inspection is totally fee supported. We try to get as much as we can out of public health is planning. Planning is now collect 35 40% fee supported. That's why if someone wants to

get a building permit for ah fence or something like that, they end up paying quite a bit of money just to get the inspection fees. So that's what we've done to try to make those feet supported so we can shift other money to take care of

the state mandated programs, which are largely caseload driven, such as welfare, mental health center on things that way have no control over Tom. Um, can a county to reject the state law or a state mandated program, especially they know they can't afford it? Uh, no. They

can't ricin again. That's that's the problem of being, ah, function of the state. By law, the Board of Supervisors have to enforce those programs, and they have to make sure that they operate. So the state, by again not providing the money, ends up putting all the

pressure and all the responsibility on the local supervisors toe to make sure that these programs run. And if counties have had any failing, Probably it is that we have made the programs work without the adequate funding, and we therefore have bailed out the state. The Legislature

has totally abdicated their role in their responsibility. Uh, so in answer to question, no, we can't we have to do it. That's that's the county responsibility. So, in essence, we're saying that if they want to impose enough the program, they can just force us into bankruptcy.

Azad Jap What happens if, say, there's a program comes down for what? Braiding the educational facilities for prisoners within an Indian, which is one that we had put directly half. We would have taken money, for instance, out of something like the vote budget to fund that

program before you know, we could stop funding the program on. To me, that's a ludicrous way of doing about. But that's that's what's happened. What do you think neither of you enter this or both of you? Do you think the public that the general taxpaying public

is actually aware of and understands the state mandated programs and policies has been applied? Right now, nobody understands them because there's so many of I mean, you're looking at virtually panellists, dithering duo Hogan's Coming From the State and No, quite frankly, I think we're wrapped up

with school financing, which is independent from A with special districts with the state. With federal, there's so many different government agencies that are involved, and I don't think people understand again, necessarily rural counties. And that's our problem. We haven't done a very good job of education.

We hope we can do programs like this, but there is another thing to give you an idea of the funding problems. Proposition 98 which recently passed, which has been part of the phenomenon of a lot of for lack of better words, special interest initiative legislation has

come about eyes going to dedicate a certain amount of money to education. Give them the cost of living allowance, probably only cost of living allowance. It's guaranteed in the state, plus, basically and anything is left over on. Education is certainly important as a former teacher, a

big supporter of education. But again, that's going to say this meat less money coming for the state mandated problems and mental health, public health, etcetera, etcetera. And that's why I say it's simply going to get worse unless the county's get together and come up their own

sort of initiative that we could get past. It says a certain percentage has to come to the counties, which again, I think it's a poor way of preventing state governor, not just talking about the county coming up with revenue source. What are some of the thoughts

along those lines where there's been several moves to try to find an independent financing source for county governments? As we said earlier, property tax was the main ves orderly on their movements going on. Now, Jim mentioned initiatives. See Sack is trying to sponsor an initiative that

would transform transfer a portion of the state sales tax to county government. And that's, ah, believe 1/2 cent. And that money would be what we call discretionary dollars totally available to the Board of Supervisors to decide how to spend it. That again is one of the

problems we've had. When the state has provided money to the counties, they either make it ah, categorical grant where it's tied to a specific program or they don't provide enough money to match the service. Eso That's the key thing. The survival of counties depends on getting

a separate financing source so that they can take care of their local problems. And then the state also has to provide money for the required programs. That might be a really good answer to just 1/2 a cent on the sales tax is not going to bankrupt

any of us individually, but it may may bail out the counties or give them a source of legitimate income of their own to operate on future Rich on that The key item is that it is not an increase in the sales tax. It's transferring 1/2 cent

of the existing sex. That's about a minute, gentlemen. Well, again, Thank everybody putting together like G t for putting this very professional presentation together. But again, I think it's up to the counties to indicate the services that they do provide and ask the people to what

extent they want those services continued on. Do they think that additional money should be made available from the state to keep the state programs going so that we could go back to doing what we do? I think best, which is the local programs such as roads,

police services, planning parts, that sort of thing. Otherwise those services are gonna decrease. And the more money is gonna be shifted to the state programs which caseload driven, etcetera. And quite frankly, it quite often functions of the national economy on which we have no control. And

I wouldn't know that would be a good educational debate to have over the rest of the eighties and into the nineties. All right, down to about 30 seconds, you got a final thought. Just I think the movie pretty much identified were into surviving. And counties have

been doing that for the last five years. And until something changes, we're gonna be in the same same mode, I think later, gentlemen, you should know that counties have really worked very hard in California at staying within these limited bone. Now, this film is available at

the County administration center closing the Gap County government. If you would want to contact us, we will see that you get it ready for your club. My name is Rich McGlinchey, who had the pleasure of having Chairman Jim Harbison and County Administrator Tom Champlin talking to

you about the problems date mandates against problems they have imposed on the counter. We're hoping to find solutions. We hope that your support my name is Richman. Plenty will be back with another addition of Sonoma County in the eighties to fill in tonight. Good luck to

everyone. Yeah, all right. You know,