Hard Times For Orange County Planning Department

"At least six senior-level planners and one-third of the county’s building inspectors will lose their jobs this month, although county administrators expect many of the displaced workers to fill vacancies elsewhere in county government. The cuts came after county officials revealed the agency spent an $18 million "reserve" during the last three years and were running a deficit of more than $500,000 per month this fiscal year.Prior to announcing he was stepping down, Mathews, who blamed the deficit on a construction slow-down, proposed raising building permit fees by about 50%."