Contra Costa Supervisors Oppose Funding Cuts to Health Services
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors at a budget workshop Thursday rejected 21 of 39 proposed cuts to county health services that would have reduced county spending by about $6 million, the Contra Costa Times reports. However, supervisors must still make other cuts to address a $7 million to $9 million budget deficit before the June 21 deadline to approve the fiscal year 2005-2006 budget.
Supervisors proposed reducing contributions to a disability benefits reserve fund, eliminating positions in the assessor's office or using health department revenue.
Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho said, "The wish list we heard today is a best-case scenario, but we don't have best-case funding."
Supervisor John Gioia opposed eliminating any health services funding. He said, "We're becoming a two-class county: those who can and those who can't afford health care," adding, "Reducing the services would continue to take this county down the road of a widening gap" (Felsenfeld, Contra Costa Times, 6/10).