© 2024 KVPR | Valley Public Radio - White Ash Broadcasting, Inc. :: 89.3 Fresno / 89.1 Bakersfield
89.3 Fresno | 89.1 Bakersfield
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
76 new monthly members to go to reach our March goal! Start a new monthly gift today, or increase your existing monthly donation to help us reach the goal.

Interview: Kern County Leaders Eye Firefighter Overtime Amid Budget Crunch

Joe Moore
/
Valley Public Radio
The Kern County Government Center on Truxtun Ave (file photo)

While many valley counties have seen their budgets improve in recent years, that hasn't been the case in Kern County. That's because as California's leading oil producing region, the county budget follows a boom and bust cycle that mirrors that of the energy industry. When oil prices are high, property tax revenue booms, as the valuation of land is based on the value of oil that remains in the ground. But when oil prices are low, the county's budget takes a big hit.

Now the county faces a $41 million budget shortfall, and the Board of Supervisors has voted to hire an outside company to study the Kern County Fire Department, and look for ways to save money. County administrator Ryan Alsop says the focus is on reducing what he calls unnecessary overtime. The union that represents county firefighters has pushed back, questioning the plan, and asking why the county isn't giving other county departments similar treatment. Alsop recently joined us on Valley Public Radio to talk about the budget issues and why county leaders have directed this scrutiny on the fire department.

Joe Moore is the President and General Manager of KVPR / Valley Public Radio. He has led the station through major programming changes, the launch of KVPR Classical and the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership the station was named California Non-Profit of the Year by Senator Melissa Hurtado (2019), and won a National Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting (2022).