California Budget Crisis Hits Siskiyou County

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department is one of the biggest on the chopping block.

The department is about 36 percent of the county's budget, that's deputies think they're facing some of the biggest cuts.

They're also arguing that cutting from public safety is the wrong direction to go, for the whole community.

Rusty Bigler walks the halls of the Siskiyou County Jail day in and day out, this might be one of his last headcounts for the corrections deputy.

He's losing his job, a casualty of the massive California budget crisis.

 "I'm looking at losing my house, my car, we dont know how we'll pay the bills, my wife and kids don't have heath insurance," he says. "It's very bleak for us."

He isn't alone.

Nearly one third of the sheriff's department is getting slashed.

The budget shortfall cuts across the cold case squad, the sex crimes unit, the search and rescue team... and the drug investigators... fighting the growing violence between Mexican drug cartels in northern California.

Among many more. Including the DARE program, teaching kids to stay off drugs, it's compeletly gone.

But the worst part may still be ahead.

The state is looking at cutting millions more from the county sheriff's budget,  including freeing criminals early to save money.

Rusty says that means more criminals on the streets.