Supervisors Formally Restore Health-Care Services Funds

SANTA ANA —  County supervisors voted to save three health programs from the budget ax Tuesday, a move that had been expected because county staffers last week revealed that they had found enough money to keep the services running.

“The need for these just cried out,” said Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, who joined his colleagues in unanimously approving the $700,000 restoration for the programs. “They’re very worthwhile, and their leadership has been so strong.”

Infant-care clinics and programs dealing with refugee health and follow-up care for venereal disease each won a place back in the county budget. They originally had been targeted for reductions to help close the county’s $67.7-million shortfall.

But Ronald S. Rubino, the county budget director, said that after the final budget numbers were tallied, there was enough left to pay for the three health-care programs. Board members, who had tried hard to preserve health care as much as possible, eagerly restored the money.

Health-care advocates, who had lobbied board members to save the services, cheered the decision.

Chauncey Alexander, chairman of the United Way Health Care Task Force, said that “every one of (the programs) was a significant service” to the poor. He called the restoration “good news.”