51ºÚÁÏ

The council introduced legislation that would cut 10% each from five offices for a total of about $3.8 million:

• County executive: $697,951.

• County counselor: $570,069.

• Department of Revenue, which helps manage property taxes and issues licenses and distributes money to other county agencies: $904,835.

• Department of Administration, which oversees budgets and delivery of county services, among other responsibilities: $1,606,530.

• Public administrator, which assists the public in handling wills, estates and other probate court matters: $104,993.

Public works would see a 5% cut worth about $2.1 million.

The prosecuting attorney’s office would see a 5% cut equivalent to about $772,000, and the council’s proposal would bar the office from buying any new vehicles — a controversial issue in recent years.

The health department would see an $8.2 million cut, or about 10% of its requested budget. No cuts were proposed for the police department, the jail or parks.

Reducing the budget eliminates the need for the tax rate increase proposed by County Executive Sam Page, said Council Chair Shalonda Webb, a Democrat from unincorporated North County.

The council isn’t telling departments what to cut, whether it’s positions, services or something else, said Chris Grahn-Howard, the council’s budget policy coordinator. That’s up to department leaders.

But council members considered what the departments actually spend at the end of the year when deciding where to request cuts, Grahn-Howard said. Often departments spend less than they budget for, and they may consider eliminating vacant positions.

The council proposed adding back in two expenses: $21,000 for the council to send physical mail to constituents, and $718,000 for the police department’s Shot Spotter program. County Executive Sam Page proposed cutting that program, but the council added it back in after police leaders testified to its usefulness.

The council could approve the budget as soon as next week.