Sheriff asks for extra cash after going overbudget in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The County of Monterey is facing a tight budget year. On Wednesday, May 28, after the Weekly’s deadline, the County Board of Supervisors was set to begin hearings to adopt a budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which begins July 1. They will be voting on a proposed $2.3 billion spending plan, without some of the one-time solutions (like federal Covid relief) that eased the pressure in recent years.

Several department heads were asking for more than was proposed, including Sheriff Tina Nieto, requesting a $27.6 million augmentation, including $10 million for 47 new positions. (County finance staff recommended against these expenditures; they did recommend allocating $3.2 million to restore three positions.)

In an email to staff on May 14, she argued that at least a $17.5 million augmentation was required just to meet status quo services next year.

But even before the new fiscal year kicks in, the Sheriff’s Office is looking at a $7.6 million deficit for the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30. This is attributed mostly to unbudgeted wage increases of 2 to 4 percent negotiated with labor unions ($5.4 million) and $1.3 million in retirement and separation payouts. Unbudgeted payroll costs for the year, mostly due to overtime, were $5.5 million.

The department has been able to cover part of the shortfall but not all, and on March 21, Chief Deputy Jason Smith presented to the County Budget Committee, asking for a $3.6 million increase to the 2024-25 budget in order to make payroll.

Budget committee members (supervisors Wendy Root Askew and Chris Lopez) gave direction to authorize part of the request – $2.8 million – as Smith thought further cost controls would be possible; that recommendation will come to the full board for a vote.

“As budget committee chair I take seriously the responsibility to manage our taxpayer funds and look forward to continuing to work with the Sheriff’s Office to manage their cost overruns,” Askew says. “This board is committed to public safety,” she adds.

The current year’s shortfall is just a taste of what’s to come. The Sheriff’s Office projects a deficit of $29.6 million in fiscal year 2025-26, growing to $44.4 million in 2027-28. According to the county budget report, this is due primarily to salaries, workers’ comp, and cost of medical services provided to jail inmates. (The contract for the latter is out to bid; Nieto expects that cost to increase by $7.2 million next year.)