The news media attended yesterday's Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting in force to cover a variety of cuts the board is considering to balance the county's budget, currently $58 million short. Most of the media attention seems to be focused on a plan to cut out preventative health care for illegal immigrant adults, elimination of 58 sheriff's deputies and 18 deputy district attorneys.
Media outlets that covered the session included:
"These are impossible times with limited options," Contra Costa County Sheriff Warren Rupf said on the Channel 7 news clip, which is posted on the TV station's Web site.
The supervisors are also considering cutting UC Cooperative Extension's $305,000 allocation out of their budget, which will "effectively eliminate the 100-year-old 4-H program," Channel 7 reporter Laura Anthony said.
The news coverage included an image of a forlorn 4-H member carrying a sign that read: "I support UC Cooperative Extension."
The report said a final decision about Contra Costa's budget will be made by the supervisors on March 31.