Budget reflects increased revenues, end of some state money grabs

June 23, 2006
Santa Paula City Council

Although the city has an overall Fiscal Year 2006-2007 budget of more than $56 million, it’s not as much as it seems with the General Fund operating budget booked at less than a fifth of the total.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAlthough the city has an overall Fiscal Year 2006-2007 budget of more than $56 million, it’s not as much as it seems with the General Fund operating budget booked at less than a fifth of the total. But revenues overall are up with sales and property taxes as well as franchise fees showing fiscal gains.The proposed General Fund operating budget presented to the Council at Monday’s meeting is $10,775,437 with the enterprise budget’s - the utility services of sewer, water and trash - at $11,966,958.The balance, $33,831,320 is earmarked for capital projects depending on funding both city generated and through grants.The proposed budget is the “Culmination of months of effort by the entire city staff to balance available resources with the actual and desired services required by our residents, businesses and visitors,” wrote City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz in his budget transmittal letter.The good news is that ongoing revenues are expected to increase by $1,514,190, covering the deficit.
About $685,000 in one-time expenditures will be covered by the estimated $300,000 year-end balance, $150,000 in developer reimbursements, about $72,000 in School Resource Officerreimbursements, less than $9,000 of ongoing revenues and slightly more than $150,000 culled from the General Fund reserve.Even after dipping into the reserve there will almost $1.286 million, or 12 percent, of the General Fund budget, on hand for emergencies.Significant revenue changes were seen in sales tax which increased $109,000; community development fees were up $150,000; franchise tax fees increased more than $60,000; and there was an almost $58,000 boost in police service fees and charges.The state forked over a $503,798 increase in Property Tax in lieu of Motor Vehicle License Fee taxes, funds increasing fought over in recent years.In addition, this year the city won’t be facing kicking in more than $233,000 in the so-called Property Tax-ERAF Take Away, a portion of the city’s property tax revenues that were “contributed” to the state to help the state in resolving their budget deficit.



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