More than half a year into the coronavirus pandemic and weeks of responding to wildfires, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved a final budget proposal for the fiscal year 2020-21 which reflected substantial budget cuts to accommodate emergency spending.
County Manager Mike Callagy said the county will maintain a hiring freeze on most positions but noted department heads have been advised to consider their own budgets when filling positions necessary for the function of county government.
The $3.7 billion budget includes $160 million for COVID-19 recovery programs. Early on in the pandemic, supervisors contributed millions of dollars toward programs to provide residents with rental assistance and child care as well as assist undocumented community members closed out of federal aid. The county is also independently funding an expansion of virus testing capabilities, captured in the final budget.
The approved budget also reflects a near $500 million increase in general and non-general funds from the recommended budget brought before supervisors in June. Much of the budget increase is due to funding rollovers and various capital projects being postponed during the pandemic, accounting for $259 million. An additional $160 million is being sourced from federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds and FEMA assistance granted following the surge of the pandemic and historic wildfires.
Funds were also sourced from the county’s reserves, accounting for $41 million leaving $288 million in the reserves fund in the new fiscal year. An additional $36 million is being slated for retirement contributions. Supervisors recognized substantial budget cuts would be necessary but also requested the staff prioritize various issues, specifically mental health.
Both supervisors Carole Groom and Don Horsley applauded county staff for maintaining more than $7.8 million of funding for the Cordilleras Mental Health Facility Replacement Project, an effort focused on relocating and expanding the adult psychiatric facility in Redwood City. More than $11 million is also reserved for the development of a navigation center to assist residents in transitioning out of homelessness.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of mental health and what we’ve been experiencing the last couple of years, especially with young people having many more mental health issues so this is a wise thing to do and a wise expenditure,” said Groom.
Additional funds have been set aside to establish an Office of Diversity and Equity, a recommendation made by board President Warren Slocum in light of growing civil unrest due to police killings of Black Americans. Callagy said the position description is currently being drafted and the search to fill the role will begin by the end of this year.
Funding of youth law enforcement programs was also a concern of Supervisor David Canepa who questioned spending $11 million on the Hillcrest Juvenile Hall in San Mateo which is currently housing only 19 minors. While Canepa and Chief Probation Officer John Keene recognized they share a goal of getting children out of correctional facilities, Keene noted the two officials disagreed on how to do so.
Keene noted the youth currently in detention at Hillcrest receive wraparound services including education, mental health, recreational and programing benefits “24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” He added the youth in the facility have committed severe crimes and none have been sentenced with misdemeanors.
While Keene said the department is working on reducing staff to align with the population of youth within the facility, he noted other state-operated and local youth facilities are in the process of closing permanently which will add pressure on those still operating. Nonetheless, Canepa expressed concerns about placing children in detention centers.
“Kids don’t belong in jail. It’s time to rehabilitate instead of incarcerate and shut down our oversized and overpriced juvenile halls,” Canepa said in a statement. “Juvenile hall should be turned into a center for nonprofits instead to help young people address mental health, trauma, substance abuse and other issues.”
(5) comments
Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. Don’t commit the offense unless you’re willing to pay the consequence. If anything, time for tougher love. Let the punishment fit the crime.
"Kids don’t belong in jail." The vast majority of kids shouldn't be incarcerated, but there is a small minority who should be incarcerated because they've committed a violent crime and are a danger to the community. Where will they be housed?
Agree! I know personally the kids in Hillcrest, some, are being held for crimes of Murder and attempted Murder at times. Most all are violent gang members.
Yes, I know some of them as well and they should be remain locked up. Unless, of course, Canepa invites them to live in his house. But spending close to $600K per year per juvenile is over the top. Can't the County contract with other jurisdictions and consolidate?
Wasn't it just in March in which the crumbling Seton Hospital got another $20 million lifeline from the county? Right before the China Virus was an issue. Now the district supervisor, David Canepa who advocated for this county money wants to cut juvenile rehabilitation and law enforcement programs throughout the county. In other words, money for my district, cuts for yours. I knew this would happen when we went to district elections and had a man like David Canepa voted in as my county supervisor without even having the chance to vote for him. I would like any voter in District 5 to ask your supervisor how he squares the money for Seton when the county didn’t have the money and now the cuts for Juvenile Rehabilitation and Law Enforcement outreach. Or if Mr. Canepa wants to respond right here as I am sure he has a subscription to the San Mateo Daily Journal. He can let the people know in District 1,2,3 and 4 if he feels any responsibility to them and answer this very important question about county finances to we the taxpayers of the other districts.
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