Santa Cruz County approves budget after week of hearings

After a week of hearings, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved the 2019-2020 budget.

The roughly $827 million budget focuses on challenges the county is currently facing, while putting more money into reserve funding.

Board of Supervisors Chair, Ryan Coonerty says putting that money into the reserve helps in a number of ways, “This board has made a commitment to continue to expand our reserves to make sure we both have money during bad times so it cushions the blow and also that we have a really good bond rating so when we do borrow money to build roads and other projects we get it at the lowest possible interest rate and save tax payer money.”

Public safety is also a big focus for the county, whether that is through safer roadways, mental health services or law enforcement. About $187 million will be going to the health services agency and $85 million toward the Sheriff’s Office while roughly $144 million will go to public works.

Just last week, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said they have seen an increase in inmates attempting to smuggle drugs into corrections facilities. In response, the county has approved some of that funding for drug body scanning equipment and a narcotics K-9 to help detect those drugs before they get into the jail.

Coonerty added they are focusing their budget on what needs have been expressed by people living in the county, “We’re meeting those needs through expanded roads, parks as well as through expanded public safety, mental health, and substance abuse programs. I think this is going directly to what our community wants and needs.”

For more on the county’s budget visit sccbudget.com.