The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors cut programs and services and delayed projects to help balance a projected $118 million shortfall in the 2009-10 budget.

The board this week unanimously voted to cut $32.6 million in its first round of massive spending cuts, which includes layoffs and the elimination of vacant positions. Most of the cuts take effect July 1; others start immediately. The number of layoffs and eliminated positions is unclear, budget officials said.

The cuts impact about half of the county's departments and cut deep into the county's $2.2 billion budget. Some of the effects include:

• The county's family-planning clinic in central Phoenix will close in May.

• Animal Care and Control will respond to most calls by phone and no longer will send someone to all calls in rural areas.

• Bodies will wait longer at crime scenes, and wait longer to be examined by the Medical Examiner's Office.

• Hours will be cut at health clinics inside county jails, and temporary nurses will be used less than before.

• Cuts to temporary staff at a call center means you may sit on hold - up to 20 minutes during peak seasons - for questions about your tax bill or an election.

• Some county projects, such as restroom renovations and shower replacements, will be postponed until revenues pick up.

• Cleaning services at non-public county buildings will be cut back, and so will the frequency of window-cleanings.

• The county will do fewer audits each year, and they will take longer to complete.

• Fewer staff will be available at county parks to help visitors.

"The cuts are deep and difficult," Supervisor Don Stapley said. "There will be some reduction to services, but . . . we're going to continue to work very hard to make sure people receive the services they need. It's hard on everybody."

It will get harder. An additional $25 million will be slashed, mostly from the criminal-justice system, on April 1, and budget officials will have to find an additional $60 million to cut by June 30.

In December, county leaders asked all county departments to identify 20 percent of their budgets that could be cut to balance the 2010 budget.

For months, budget officials have worked with the county agencies to negotiate cuts. Budget officials say that Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Treasurer Charles Hoskins have refused to submit a detailed list that includes 20 percent in spending cuts.

With a budget of about $288 million, the Sheriff's Office is the largest operation in the county, and the budget cannot be balanced without cuts. Other large departments include Superior Court and the County Attorney's Office.

The departments that were affected this week took budget cuts ranging from 10 to 15 percent, said Chris Bradley, a deputy budget director.

Those departments included Public Health, Finance, Correctional Health, Risk Management, Parks and Recreation, and Medical Examiner, and the Office of Management and Budget.

"We're trying to minimize every cut, but we have to cut as far as we need to to make ends meet," Supervisor Andy Kunasek said. "The demand levels for our services rise in bad economic times . . . (and) the people who are left will have to work harder."

About 12,000 people work for Maricopa County, and payroll makes up the biggest chunk of costs.

To persuade employees who are eligible to retire to do so, the county will deposit up to $30,000 into individual health-savings accounts to help employees who opt to retire with health-related costs.