Departments Told to Trim Budgets by Up to 12.5% : Supervisors: County board’s 4-0 vote in favor of the cutbacks is an effort to offset sharp reductions in state funding.

Ventura County department heads must trim staff, cut services or take other steps to reduce their already sparse budgets by up to 12.5% next year, county supervisors said Tuesday.

In an effort to offset sharp reductions in state funding, the supervisors voted 4 to 0 in favor of the cutbacks--which will lop about $20 million from the discretionary portion of the county’s general fund.

The fund--used to help finance the Sheriff’s Department, district attorney’s office, medical services and numerous other areas--would be reduced from $165.4 million to $145.4 million.

The supervisors agreed that most areas of government should make cuts ranging from 10% to 12.5%. The board decided on reductions ranging from 7.5% to 10% for law enforcement agencies and the Ventura County Medical Center, continuing its tradition of buffering those departments from the sharpest losses.

The department heads will be asked to provide the board with an outline of the areas they plan to cut later this spring. The supervisors say they hope to adopt a final budget by July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

“It isn’t business as usual anymore,” Supervisor Vicky Howard said. “Seven and a half percent to 12.5% in cuts is going to mean layoffs and cuts in county services.”

Supervisor Maria E. VanderKolk added:

“I think it’s important that we make the cuts now. If we have any ability to add the money back in, we will. But the way I’m seeing it, it’s only going to get worse.”

Although the county is preparing for the $20-million cut, it could lose up to $36 million in state funding if the Legislature goes along with Gov. Pete Wilson’s budget proposal--forcing the county to make more reductions.

As part of his plan, Wilson wants to shift $2.6 billion in property-tax funds from local governments to schools. This cut would come on the heels of a $1.3-billion reduction for cities, counties and special districts, part of the 1992-93 budget agreement.

“It would be fool-hearted of us not to expect a large cut,” Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg told the supervisors. “We want to make sure we deal with the reality of the cuts in the most humane way. Our goal is to continue an acceptable level of public service.”

County department heads said the reductions will not be easy to make. Although many of the officials said it’s too soon to know how many positions will be cut, layoffs appear imminent.

“Fortunately over the last two or three years, we have not filled positions to mitigate layoffs,” said George E. Mathews, who oversees the county’s vast computer and telephone systems. “But if the cuts are as deep as we are talking about, it’s not going to be enough.”

Sheriff Larry Carpenter estimated that his department will lose about $5 million of its $65-million budget.

“It is difficult at this point to imagine that kind of cut without layoffs,” he said.

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury agreed.

“A percentage cut equates directly to people for us,” he said.

Bradbury said his office might be unable to take on some smaller cases. But he said: “Crimes that entail public safety will continue to get top-flight treatment.”

Tom Berg, director of the county’s resource management agency, said he is considering reorganizing his department.

“We will have to be as creative as we can in streamlining operations,” Berg said. “It will be a challenge. We are really facing some hard decisions on cutting back on what government does.”

Pierre Durand, who oversees the county hospital, said he and his staff will “sharpen our pencils” to find ways to make the cuts without significantly impacting services.

“It will be a big challenge for us,” he said. “But we also recognize the dilemma of the county. The county has a serious deficit and we have to do our share to help.”