New Law Could Help Calabasas Get Cityhood
Legislation that will lift a financial burden from a proposed City of Calabasas was signed by Gov. George Deukmejian late Tuesday--16 hours before a crucial cityhood vote.
The new law could save Calabasas up to $1 million on fire-protection costs, enough to erase a projected first-year deficit if the 14-square-mile city is created next year, officials said.
A financial analysis prepared last week for the county Local Agency Formation Commission projected a $236,763 first-year budget shortfall for Calabasas, primarily because of a $1-million fee for wild-lands fire protection, for which the new city would contract with the county Fire Department.
Budgetary considerations are expected to be the major issue when commission members meet at 9 a.m. today in Los Angeles.
The commission is scheduled to vote on whether the cityhood issue should be sent to the county Board of Supervisors, which will decide whether to put the issue before the voters.
The fire-protection bill, sponsored by state Sen. Ed Davis (R-Valencia), limits the money the county may charge the new city for wild-lands firefighting, said Hunt Braly, administrative assistant to Davis.
“Our rough calculation is it would save at least two-thirds--$700,000 in the case of Calabasas,” Braly said.
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