San Mateo County Budget Calls for Cuts at County’s General Hospital, Clinics

Addressing a projected $12.3 million deficit in San Mateo County's health care system, supervisors last Thursday approved a $1.09 billion budget for fiscal year 2001-02 that will result in cuts at the county's general hospital and clinics, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Health workers said that the $185 million allocation for the health system will "force the layoffs of badly needed full-time registered nurses" throughout the county's health system, as well as a reduction in clinic "drop-in" hours. "I can guarantee you that in two to three years, we'll be back here discussing how to increase the budget for registered nurses," Leslie Holley-Brosnan, a labor representative for the California Nurses Association, said. The budget also calls for the county sheriff's office to "take over security" at the county hospitals from a private firm, a move expected to save $1 million (Pence, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/29).