County, facing budget ‘triple whammy,’ investigates outsourcing

The County of San Diego’s actions in response to the current

fiscal crisis include another attempt to determine whether any

current county-operated programs can be outsourced.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 May 12 to

direct the county’s chief administrative officer to identify

additional county services for outsourcing and to return to the

supervisors with recommendations within 120 days.

“We have a responsibility to the taxpayers to explore any and all cost-saving measures,” said Chairman and District 2 Supervisor Dianne Jacob. “This may be the only way to keep some of our programs alive.”

The county’s discretionary funding from sales and property taxes

is down more than $100 million, the stock market collapse has

created significant losses in the county’s pension fund, and the

State of California’s budget problems will impact county

services.

“The county is facing what I classify as a triple whammy,” Jacob said.

The decline in revenue is expected to be a long-term problem requiring long-term solutions.

“Outsourcing of services would help the county put decreasing tax dollars where they stand the greatest chance of doing the most good for the most people,”

Jacob noted.