San Joaquin County budget basics

First quarter, 2009-10 fiscal year.

General fund shortfall: $54 million.

Net county expenses: $6.4 million over budget, the majority coming from law and justice ($4.2 million) and human services ($2.6 million).

San Joaquin General Hospital: Operating loss $5.1 million in first quarter, which is $2 million greater than what the county projected. The loss for the 2009-10 fiscal year could reach $20 million, $8 million higher than budgeted.

Proposition 172 sales tax revenue: $5.6 million less than budgeted. Revenue goes specifically to the Sheriff's, District Attorney's, Public Defender's and Probation offices.

Mental health: $4.5 million reduction in revenue expected for the fiscal year.

Proposed state budget deficit: $21 billion by the end of the 2010-11 fiscal year.

Source: San Joaquin County

In other action

Williamson Act

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to not accept any new Williamson Act applications until at least Sept. 30 of next year. However, nine pending applications will be considered for approval on Dec. 8.

Supervisor Steve Bestolarides said he wanted to honor the nine pending applications because they applied under the current rules.

Future applications will not be honored because the state eliminated $1.7 in payments to the county to compensate for the county's reduced revenue on Williamson Act land.

Under the act, property owners agree to not urbanize their land. In exchange, they pay a lower property tax.

After the meeting, Steve Malcoun, who has a 38-acre walnut orchard east of Morada, said he appreciates the Board of Supervisors' decision to consider his Williamson Act application on Dec. 8.

— Ross Farrow

Animal control

The Board of Supervisors agreed to establish a system in which deputy animal control officers volunteer for an on-call list to respond to emergency animal-related calls on nights, weekends and holidays.

During the current fiscal year, the county has provided animal control services for unincorporated areas only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

San Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore said deputies have responded to 121 animal-related calls for after-hours service since July 1. It has taken his deputies too much extra time because deputies aren't as trained in dealing with animals as animal control officers are, Moore said.

Supervisors Larry Ruhstaller and Steve Bestolarides asked county Agricultural Commissioner Scott Hudson, whose department administers animal control, to document what time of day and which days each week animal calls come in. That way, Hudson can schedule his officers on shifts where the greatest call volume can be expected, Ruhstaller said.

Staggering work schedules sounds like a great idea, Hudson said, but it doesn't work with a small staff like San Joaquin County has.

Board chairman Leroy Ornellas asked Hudson if it would be possible to recover at least some of the county's expenses from pet owners if animal control officers have to deal with an animal.

Bestolarides also suggested looking into the possibility of the county contracting with cities' animal control officers for evening and weekend response.

— News-Sentinel staff