By Kevin Tripp, KABC
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s department is 63 million dollars in the red, so the county is freezing about 143 million from his budget. The sheriff told the supervisors that the deficit is a result of underfunding.
”The county’s budget, like any public budget, is a political document that speaks to the funding priorities of each member of the board.”
During Tuesday’s vote, supervisors insisted their move would not impact current staffing levels. But, the sheriff says he needs to hire more deputies. The board is now requiring the sheriff to work with county officials on a financial plan. The sheriff is independently elected, but supervisors control the money.