Services could be curtailed

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa could feel the squeeze when Orange County slashes spending by about $1 billion this budget cycle.

The state of California is also slashing funding to local services, and more cuts could come if the state decides to scoop up more than $43 million in property tax revenues from the county to patch up its own budget problems.

Everything from bus routes and subsidized health care for families faces cuts in the coming year, Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach said.

“Costa Mesa is going to be hit a little harder because these things are going to affect the poor living in those areas,� Moorlach said. “But there also might be some loan brokers and car salesmen in Newport Beach who are on food stamps too, there are a lot of people who have been hit hard in this economy.�

The state could look at cutting funding to the Healthy Families program, which provides low-cost health care for children whose families otherwise might not be able to afford insurance, Moorlach said.

The state also could cut funding for the CalWORKs program, which provides food stamps, monthly income assistance, child care subsidies and job training for needy families.

Cutbacks to the program could affect the 1,148 CalWORKs recipients in Costa Mesa and another 119 recipients in Newport Beach, according to the Orange County Social Services Agency.

One bright spot, the OC Harbor Patrol, which oversees public safety in Newport Harbor, doesn’t face any budget cuts for the time being, said Frank Kim, Orange County budget director.

Although county officials are looking at cutting the Orange County Sheriff’s budget by millions in the next fiscal year, the Harbor Patrol won’t be affected because its funding comes from revenues from the harbor in Dana Point and the OC Parks Department.

There might be fewer new books on the shelves in the coming months at Costa Mesa’s three public libraries if the state decides to go ahead with a plan to borrow $2 billion in property tax revenues from cities and counties.

Public libraries could see their annual budget reduced by 8% if the Legislature decides to go a head with the plan, said Orange County Librarian Helen Fried.

Library officials don’t expect layoffs or reduced hours at Costa Mesa’s libraries, but the agencies’ budget for computer databases and new books would take a hit, Fried said.

“Costa Mesa wouldn’t be affected, at least externally, but they would have fewer new books,� she said.

As many as seven OCTA bus routes that run through Newport Beach and Costa Mesa face service reductions in the next budget cycle, which begins July 1, OCTA Chairman Peter Buffa said.

Funded by state money, OCTA faces a $33-million budget shortfall in the coming fiscal year and another $275-million shortfall over the next five years.

Two routes that run down Harbor Boulevard will face cuts to service in the early morning hours.

While no routes in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa face being cut completely, riders will have longer waits, Buffa said.

“It’s primarily a matter of increasing intervals between buses — where you used to wait 20 minutes, now you’re going to wait 30 or 35 minutes,� Buffa said. “Bus riders to a large majority don’t have cars and when you begin to tamper with bus service, you begin to tamper with people’s lives, but the state is running around with their hair on fire, trying to figure out how not to go broke.�

Cuts Coming?

Local services facing budget cuts:

 Social services: The state could cut funding to CalWORKs recipients and the Healthy Families insurance program

 OC Harbor Patrol will not be affected by county budget cuts

 OC public libraries could face budget cuts of up to 8% if the state goes after local property tax revenues

 OCTA faces a $33-million budget shortfall next fiscal year; seven bus routes in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa face service reductions