Contra Costa County nervously passed a plan Tuesday for how it will spend $4.6 million that comes with its new responsibility for felons under a massive realignment of the state prison system.

But County Administrator David Twa warned the board of supervisors that the money from the state falls short.

Suburban counties such as Contra Costa were penalized under the funding formula because they send fewer felons to state prison than more urbanized areas, he said.

The Probation Department expects to take responsibility for four former state prisoners this week.

The county expects to see 215 inmates convicted of nonviolent, nonserious and nonsex crimes released from state prison over the next nine months. About 60 new convicts will be added to county jails during that time.

Contra Costa's plan calls for providing the Sheriff's Office more than half of the money. Roughly $1 million will go to both the probation and health services departments. The remainder will go to the district attorney's and public defender's offices.