Local Government Agencies Waiting For State Funding

Sonora, Ca — With a $146 billion state budget now signed, local agencies are anxiously awaiting funds that have been withheld over recent months.

Director Liz Sewell of the Mountain Women´s Resource Center estimates that once the proper paperwork is completed, it will still take around 90 days to receive the funding that has been withheld since July 1.

Seawell adds that effective October 1st, she will be putting employees on minimum wage in order to continue to offer services as her agency awaits state funding.

Meanwhile Sonora City Administrator Greg Applegate says he has learned that Vehicle License Fees that have been withheld since April will soon be released and coming to the City by the end of the month. Around $50,000 has been withheld to this point.

?Looking at the bigger picture, there is still a lot of concern because the state reached into the back pocket of redevelopment agencies to help balance the budget,? says Applegate. It is essentially robbing Peter to pay Paul which makes absolutely no fiscal sense whatsoever. That money has essentially been taken from our redevelopment agency, and adds up to around $80,000.?

Written by BJ Hansen