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Santa Clara County Slashes Services, Jobs To Help Close Budget

SAN JOSE (KCBS) – The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has started work on closing a $220 million budget deficit through a combination of layoffs and service and program cuts.

County Executive Jeff Smith said that not only will there be changes in how people get their services, but there will also be many people losing their jobs.

"The major areas of loss of revenue have to do with the general fund, so we will see reductions in the Department of Corrections," said Smith. "We will also see reductions in probation and in social services and health."

He said that 500 positions will be eliminated, with just over 100 people actually losing their jobs.

KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:

Supervisor Liz Kniss said that services aimed at helping the needy will be among the programs most affected.

"We will see the low-income and the infirmed, those who have less of a voice, they will be the hardest hit," said Kniss.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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