Many Santa Barbara County offices have turned out the lights for the holidays as part of a cost cutting work furlough. More than 3000 employees are off without pay.

The furlough was approved earlier this year, and a small change in paychecks has taken place leading up to this 64 hour cutback. Only essential departments such as fire, sheriff, health care, animal shelters, and emergency services are staffed. A county analyst says the furlough could save $10 million dollars.

Some residents who were unaware of the closures, were caught off guard at the front doors to the main County Administration Building on Monday. In a bit of irony, one man was trying to pay his property taxes, and could not get into the tax collectors office with cash at a time when the county is so short of money.

Posted signs say the county will be back at full strength with all departments staffed, on January fifth.

Senior Reporter John Palminteri has been to both closed and open county offices during this cutback and has our report.