County retirement payouts are one more toll on budget By Kurtis Alexander 06/21/2009 SANTA CRUZ - As county leaders cut health and human services, furlough employees and reduce office hours to close a record budget shortfall, one more expense is weighing on the bottom line: hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to retirees for unused vacation and sick time. A Sentinel review of county payroll records shows during the past six months retiring employees cashed out nearly $900,000 in unused vacation, sick time and other leave. More than a third of that money went to four retirees, top managers who...