Skagit County commissioners Tuesday approved sweeping cuts to county services and staff to close a $2.9 million gap in the county’s $49 million general fund budget.

The cuts mean no more hot breakfasts for jail inmates and no more recreational programs for seniors, to name just two service reductions. Also eliminated were 28 county jobs, including 21 through layoffs.

Fifteen county employees were laid off at the end of last year.

The need for a second round of cuts after the belt-tightening that happened at the end of last year weighed on the commissioners during a public hearing on the budget on Tuesday.

“The last four months have not been the funnest of all of my months here at Skagit County,” Commissioner Sharon Dillon said.

“It’s been really tough” to target programs for cuts, first-year Commissioner Ron Wesen said. “We don’t have a printing press. ... We only can spend the money that we have.”

Job losses in the county have come at all levels. The commissioners won’t hire summer help for the Assessor’s Office this year or fill an opening for a court reporter in Superior Court. Four positions in the Sheriff’s Office, including two deputy positions, will remain vacant. The commissioners also have opted not to replace the county deputy administrator, the second-highest post in the county, since a shuffling in the administration in October.

The county budget has been strained by reduced investment, timber and sales tax income. Sales tax revenue was down 14 percent in May compared to the same month last year. For the first five months of 2009, sales tax revenue is down 12 percent. The cuts approved Tuesday rely on that decline improving to 10 percent by year’s end, Budget and Finance Director Trisha Logue said.

Some of those who spoke at the public hearing were concerned about the loss of programs for seniors.

“If you do cut the senior trips and the walking program, we would like to see those reinstated as soon as (the budget) is positive,” said Doris Robbins of Edison.

The commissioners also cut summer youth programs and the lifeguard positions at Clear Lake Beach.

Commissioner Ken Dahlstedt acknowledged that his constituents were losing programs that were important to them.

“It hasn’t been easy the cuts we’ve made, but we hope that better days will be coming,” Dahlstedt said.

He said county government will do what it can to encourage businesses to be successful.

“If our community and our businesses are doing well, we may be able to reinstate some of these programs,” Dahlstedt said.

• Ralph Schwartz can be reached at 360-416-2138 or .