What's at stake:
Kings County is bracing for a trough year due to ongoing flooding and inflation.
Documented by Josef Sibala
What Happened: The Kings County Board of Supervisors formally adopted a $500 million budget that includes more money for law enforcement and roads but paints a grim picture of the coming years due to ongoing flooding and inflation.
The county’s $505.9 million budget is up by nearly $39 million compared to the previous year.
A budget analysis prepared by the Kings County’s Administrator’s Office says the flooding of Tulare Lake earlier this year took more than 100,000 acres of farmland out of production, which is expected to drive down property values and subsequent tax revenue.
Additionally, the flooding is expected to drive up unemployment due to lower demand for farm workers.
As expected, the lion’s share of the county’s budget goes to law enforcement – $142.28 million between the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney, and Probation Department. That’s up nearly $13 million over last year due to salary increases and a new youth treatment facility.
The sheriff received more than $59 million; probation collected more than $22 million; and prosecutors got more than $10 million.
Kings County District Attorney Sarah Hacker on Tuesday also received the green light from supervisors to hire an independent contractor to help prosecute cases for the next year.
Hacker’s office has been plagued with staffing shortages this year, according to a county staff report.
“Since February of this year, six attorneys have left the office for higher paying positions in other counties,” the report says. “The Kings County District Attorney’s Office is in the process of hiring three additional deputy district attorneys but has not been able to fill all the remaining open positions.”
The contract for Crystal Howard, a former prosecutor with nearly 20 years of experience in Napa County, covers one year at a total cost not to exceed $184,600.
The next Kings County Board of Supervisors meeting is set for Aug. 28.
