While Santa Barbara County departments are not expecting budget cuts in the coming year, a funding fight could emerge over money for libraries, which are facing a $400,000 deficit after years of operating in the red.
There are 14 libraries in Santa Barbara County, five in cities and nine county branches, and all of them receive some per-capita county funding. Money from cities or community groups varies widely from branch to branch, with some locations financially better off than others.
Only Goleta, which has voter-approved Measure L, has dedicated library funding, and other jurisdictions use discretionary general fund revenues, county staff said Friday.
The years-long debates over library funding continue in advisory groups, and a proposal for short-term and long-term sustainability is expected during the June budget hearings at the Board of Supervisors, according to county staff.
For now, supervisors were updated Friday that the nine county branches face a $400,000 deficit for 2019-2020 as reserve funds are depleted and Black Gold Cooperative Library System costs increase.
Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said it isn’t sustainable for libraries to ask for one-time county funding every year to close deficits.
Management changes are also in the works, with the newly independent Goleta Valley Library planning to take over the Solvang and Buellton branches, possibly later this year.
Programs Addressing Homelessness
Assistant County Executive Officer Terri Maus-Nisich summarized upcoming project and program funding related to homelessness, including plans for The Residences at Depot Road, an 80-unit supportive housing development.
The Point in Time count found about 1,880 homeless residents in Santa Barbara County this year, and the number has been around 1,700 or above since 2011.
Those people are sleeping on the streets, in vehicles, or are in emergency or transitional housing, she said.
The county spent about $16 million this year on homeless-related programs, and the bulk of the money — more than $10 million — is for beds and housing, she said.
Millions of dollars in new funding is expected this year, and the county plans to add 120 supportive housing units, she added.
The permanent supportive housing, tied to services, is found to be most effective at reducing homelessness, so any housing projects need funding to incorporate services as well, Maus-Nisich told the Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors will make final spending decisions for the 2019-2020 fiscal year at June hearings, after hearing from department heads during this week’s workshops.
Click here for coverage of Monday’s budget workshop on Behavioral Wellness and Fire Department funding proposals, and click here for Wednesday’s story about law enforcement budget plans, including the Sheriff’s Department and new Northern Branch Jail. That hearing was delayed after a bomb threat was made at the County Administration Building.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.