BUDGET PLAN HURTS POOR, ILL, ELDERLY, CRITICS SAY.

Byline: - Cecilia Chan

Ventura County's $1.2 billion preliminary budget brought protests Tuesday from advocates for the mentally ill, seniors and poor children, who they said would be most affected by proposed cuts.

The county closed a projected $17.6 million spending gap by cutting department spending by 4.2 percent for all departments except the public safety agencies, which are being held to a 2.1 percent increase.

``The preliminary budget you have before your body is unacceptable,'' said Barry Hammitt, executive director of Service Employees International Union, Local 998, the county's largest union. ``It places an unfair burden on the most needy and frail of our community.''

The county's preliminary budget doesn't include an additional estimated $26 million the county stands to lose as Sacramento lawmakers wrestle with a $23.6 billion deficit.

Some people in the audience held up union signs that read, ``Sacramento don't balance the budget on the backs of counties.''

``In bad economic times the poor are asked to bear the brunt, the burden,'' said Das Williams, legislative analyst for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy. ``It's important for the county of Ventura not to take this hit and to complain very loudly back to the governor.''

Ventura County faced a $17.6 million shortfall in the 2002-03 budget due to salary hikes and other increased expenses that outpaced revenue.

In February, the supervisors trimmed $3.8 million with the elimination of 44 vacant full-time jobs.

Under the budget presented Tuesday to supervisors, the Health Care Agency would see a $3 million funding shortfall.

Supervisor Frank Schillo said he and Supervisor Kathy Long are on a committee that will meet with local representatives. He urged residents to send them their concerns about the state budget cuts.

``We want to show them what the cuts at the state level are going to mean to mutual constituents in the county,'' Schillo said.

The county will hold its first budget hearing June 17.