In a radical move to rein in overspending, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has imposed a partial freeze on the sheriff’s department budget.
The board voted unanimously on Oct. 1 to withhold $143.7 million from the current budget as an insurance policy if Sheriff Alex Villanueva fails to pay back $63.4 million in overspent funds. Before the sheriff can regain full control of the budget, the board has stipulated that he must submit a “payment plan” to reimburse the county for the shortfall.
