You may not know this, but the Board of Supervisors has no control over the largest chunk of the county’s budget.
Most people are not aware that the largest portion of the county budget, 72 percent, is made up of “restricted funds,” which pay for the various state and federal programs that the county only administers according to legislative and congressional direction.
The remainder of the budget — 28 percent — has to pay for the rest of the services the county provides its citizens.
Of that 28 percent, some $60 out of every $100 goes toward the category of Public Protection.
Public protection includes:
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Child Support Services
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The District Attorney’s Office
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Trial Court operations
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The Grand Jury
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The Public Defender’s Office
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The Sheriff-Coroner’s Office
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The Department of Corrections
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Juvenile Hall
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Probation
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Fire Prevention
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Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures
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Building Inspections
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County Clerk-Recorder
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Planning
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Water and Natural Resources
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Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
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Animal Services
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Predatory Animal Control
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Fish and Game
Some $26 out of every $100 of the money under the Board of Supervisors’ control goes toward General Government, which includes:
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Board of Supervisors
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Administrative Management/Purchasing
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Auditor-Controller
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Assessor
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Treasurer-Tax Collector
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County Counsel
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Human Resources and Operations
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Clerk-Recorder-Elections
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Public Works Services
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Special Districts Services
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Engineering
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Building Operations
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Building Maintenance
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Grounds Maintenance
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Utilities
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Agriculture/Capital Projects
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Hall of Justice/Capital Projects
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Courthouse Park
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Jail Security Upgrade
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Legal/Insurance
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Central Services
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311 Customer Service Center
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Information Technology
Some $18 of every $100 goes toward Health and Sanitation. Under this heading are Behavioral Health Services, Public Health, Environmental Health, and the Refuse Disposal Liner Fund.
And some $9 goes toward contingencies/reserves.
Some $7.40 of every $100 goes toward Public Ways and Facilities for roads, bridges and road transit.
About $3 of every $100 goes to Public Assistance for the state and federal programs (the 72 percent of the whole budget). This 3 percent is the county’s contribution to administer all the programs offered under Department of Social Services, In Home Supportive Services, Veterans’ Services, Public Guardian and Community Action Partnership.
And finally, about $2 of each $100 goes to Library Services.
David Rogers represents District 2 on the Madera County Board of Supervisors.