Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors holds First Budget Workshop for Upcoming Fiscal Year

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch says violent crime has risen county-wide.

"Jails are expensive. I mean, the debt that is the reality. So our prosecutors, so our public defenders, everything is more expensive that we're doing salaries go up, inflation goes up. The cost of everything from the whatever logistical supplies we need to do the job to salary, his continues to rise,” said Savrnoch.

The County says one of the biggest financial challenges when it comes to setting this year’s budget is the fact jail costs are outpacing revenue growth.

Public safety typically accounts for the largest portion of the budget.

But Defense Attorney Addison Steele says the way to address the growing need for public safety is by putting that money into social services.

“I firmly believe that money going into social services and by that I mean that are aiding addicts, that are aiding the mentally ill, that are aiding the poor, are going to save money on jail beds. You put that money into jail beds. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy because then that money is not used for those services. Those people end up cycling through the jail and now you fill the jail beds. It's a misallocation of funds,” said Steele.

The County’s preliminary budget is $1.69 billion dollars, but the potential volatility in state and federal funds has many on edge.

Monday, different county departments, including the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, gave presentations outlining their budget, emerging issues, accomplishments, and goals.

But, the county says the public has a critical role to play in the final decision.
 
The next budget workshop is scheduled for Wednesday.
 
Final budget decisions will be made in June.
 
The fiscal year runs from July 1st through June 30th.