Publisher’s note: This letter was given to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors last week.

Board of Supervisors,

Joe Harn

Please consider this communication my formal warning that the Budget that your Board directed be finalized on September 23rd by a 3 to 2 vote will lead to a severe drop in the financial position of the County. The General Fund Contingency Appropriation based on your Board’s actions during the Budget Hearings has dropped to just below $3.9 Million. At the end of the Budget Hearings one year ago, our General Fund Contingency Appropriation sat at $10.2 million. $3.9 million is the lowest Contingency number in 10 years.This is a dramatic drop. This will result in a much lower general fund carry-forward at June 30, 2015, and will result in the necessity of draconian spending cuts next summer.

Further, because of the King Fire, if there was ever a year when we needed a large contingency, this is it. Further, the Forced Salaries Savings budget balancing gimmick will also lead to a much lower general fund carry-forward at June 30, 2015.

I must conclude that the spending plan adopted by your Board on September 23rd is irresponsible.

Joe Harn, El Dorado County auditor-controller