Proposed budget record setting, but Council hears future revenues at risk

June 15, 2007
Santa Paula City Council

The proposed Fiscal Year 2007/2008 budget is taking a conservative view of revenue stream in the future, and although it contains a surplus, next year might be a different story, the City Council learned at the June 4 meeting.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe proposed Fiscal Year 2007/2008 budget is taking a conservative view of revenue stream in the future, and although it contains a surplus, next year might be a different story, the City Council learned at the June 4 meeting.City Manager Wally noted that city staff has “worked tirelessly to promote the maximum of services with the resources available” to enhance and maintain the quality of life, and outlined the $10,630,462 General Fund budget. The non-General Fund budget is proposed at $13,896,406 and the Capital Budget a whopping $36,956,167. The total is about $30 million larger than most years due to the wastewater treatment and water infrastructure projects.Although costs and needs are going up - Bobkiewicz noted that money is set aside for employee raises and benefits - the more than $380,000 increase in property taxes probably won’t be repeated due to the dwindling real estate market. And the city is projecting a $37,000 downturn in building permits and fees, the proposed budget notes.Bobkiewicz was more optimistic that the increase in sales taxes - $107,500 - would continue, but noted that the city must start financial planning in “order to balance increased costs with limited resources in the future,” and continue to improve economic revitalization “critical to the future health of the city budget.”The total proposed budget, $61,483,035, sets a record for the city. Bobkiewicz said that the a transfer of about $419,950 from reserves to cover one time expenses will not terribly impact the projected reserve of about $1.3 million left, or about 12 percent of the General Fund budget.
Highlights of the new budget include two new Santa Paula Police Department officers previously approved by the Council, the first new officers added to the short-staffed force in a long time and an expenditure of $135,000. The SPPD will also receive $50,000 for equipment improvement and about $12,950 for state of the art archival document imaging that will also save file space.Animal Control will also benefit, with a new vehicle budgeted at $13,000. Other public safety increases are to the Santa Paula Fire Department, which will add a new engineer, the first of a phased-in plan to cover all shifts at Station 82.Bobkiewicz said that the city is setting aside $400,000 for salary and benefit increases to be negotiated with bargaining units when current contracts expire at the end of the year.A favorite of councils throughout the years and the nation - streets - will be repaved and reconstructed with $650,000, not enough to fix them all but the next phase in the city’s ongoing streets project. Bobkiewicz said that funding will be garnered from the Redevelopment Agency ($250,000), General Fund Reserve ($100,000), and from existing street funds ($300,000). Additional street funding might be cut loose and a second city street project implemented when the state adopts its budget and decides on fund distribution.The Council will consider adopting the budget at the June 18 meeting. The city budget Website is www.ci.santa-paula.ca.us/budget.



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