Orange Co. to cut 10% of its employees

  Jonathan T. Lovitt ; Sally Ann Stewart

  03/08/1995

  USA Today

  FINAL

  Page 01A

  (Copyright 1995)

  SANTA ANA, Calif. - Bankrupt Orange County is expected to start laying off

  10% of its workforce next week to chop $188 million from its budget.

  "Many with years of loyal service will lose jobs," says new county executive

  William Popejoy, who recommended the cuts. "It is not right."

  The affluent southern California county, known for its beaches and Disneyland,

  went into financial free-fall late last year when its risky investment pool lost $1.7

  billion and officials filed for bankruptcy.

  To try to balance the budget, the county will lay off 1,040 and leave 563 jobs

  unfilled in its 15,000-member workforce. Also, six libraries may close.

  Still unresolved: finding $382 million owed to bondholders.

  "Unfortunately, there probably will be more layoffs, more services affected,"

  says county spokesman Dan Martini. "We're going to be down to the bare

  bones."

  That angers Superior Court office assistant Nancy Mitchell, 31, who just bought

  a house. "I'd start (layoffs) with the Board of Supervisors. They got us into this

  mess."