§ 55-2.608. Fiscal provisions.

(1)

The establishment and operation of the public authority or application of Government Code Section 3500, et seq., shall not result in payments from the county's general fund beyond the county's annual appropriation for the public authority, if any, which shall be an absolute limit on county cost.

(2)

The total of all operating costs, wages and benefits proposed or established by the public authority shall be consistent with the provisions of the county budget. The public authority shall not establish a payment rate, including costs of wages, benefits and operation, until the public authority determines that the funds necessary for the payment rate are legally available. The annual appropriation for the public authority, if any, contained in the county's fiscal budget for any fiscal year shall be an absolute limit on county cost for that fiscal year.

(3)

The public authority shall adopt its budget under the same laws, rules and policies that control the county budget process.

(4)

The public authority shall not have the authority to agree to or approve any collective bargaining or other agreement that requires an increase in wages or benefits unless there is a state or federal match for such increases. Services shall not be reduced in order to fund the public authority or implementation of Government Code Section 3500, et seq.

(5)

The maximum amount of county funds available in any given budget year for the wage and benefit negotiations, if any, shall be set by the board of supervisors as part of the county's annual budget. While the establishment of this figure shall not obligate the county, it shall serve as the absolute limit to county costs for any increases negotiated in collective bargaining taking place that fiscal year. The absolute cap on annual county spending on wage or benefits increases shall not be affected by any potential changes in state or federal reimbursement rates.

(Ord. 2001-07 § 1).

Article 55-2.8. County and Public Authority Liability