Fresno County leaders on Tuesday threw a wrench in the region's busy election schedule, declining to sign off on the city of Fresno's June 4 vote on privatizing trash service.

The county Board of Supervisors is concerned about the expense of running two special elections by July and is looking at consolidating the contests to save money before committing to dates.

The county is on the hook for a portion of the cost of filling the seat of former state Sen. Michael Rubio, a race that could include a primary and a runoff, as well as fronting money for the city's upcoming trash vote.

"To me, it just doesn't make sense to do things separately," Supervisor Debbie Poochigian said. "This is going to be expensive. It's going to cost the county a lot of money."

County supervisors have say over whether to hold the city's election because the Elections Department is a county office. The dates that elections are held, however, is largely determined by state election code and, as it stands, the pending contests don't overlap.

The Senate primary was set last week by the governor for May 21, two weeks before the city's scheduled trash vote, with a Senate runoff set for July 23, if needed.

Should the board not approve the city's June 4 election, the city would be responsible for conducting it, according to county elections chief Brandi Orth -- something the city is not prepared to do.

A city spokesman declined to comment Tuesday.

The Board of Supervisors is also looking at asking the city to pay its election costs upfront instead of being billed later, as is normally the case.

"We have to protect our resources," said Supervisor Henry Perea "In their own words, they're close to declaring bankruptcy."

Election law a hurdle too big to overcome?

County supervisors directed county representatives to speak with the state about wiggle room in the election rules as well as with the city and neighboring counties about the possibility of changes.

The special Senate race is the result of the unexpected resignation by Rubio, a Bakersfield Democrat who stepped down to take a job with Chevron Corp.

Kern, Kings and Tulare counties are part of the 16th Senate district and will finance the special election in their respective counties.

Residents of the city of Fresno, meanwhile, are voting on the mayor's plan to outsource residential trash service, a money-making endeavor that is opposed by labor unions.

The trash election could cost as much as $950,000, and the Senate race could run $1.3 million in Fresno County, according to the county Elections Department.

Consolidating the trash and Senate primary contests, which share roughly 74,000 voters, would shave about $125,000 off the tab of each election, Orth said.

But consolidating the elections appears to be incompatible with election law.

The general election for the Senate seat is required to be scheduled within 14 days of the vacancy, which was announced Feb. 22, and held 126 to 140 days later; the primary must be held nine weeks prior. The city referendum is required to be held at least 88 days after the City Council signs off on the measure, which was March 1.

Changing election laws is a job for the state Legislature and, political will aside, is unlikely to happen on short notice.

"I would hope they would be flexible since the price tag is on the county," Poochigian said.

County officials are expected to report back about scheduling to the board next week after contacting state officials and others involved in the races.