CITY BUDGETS : Budget-Balancing Deadline Sends Some Cities Scurrying

In Santa Ana, a city financial squeeze means that 90 positions are being eliminated from the city payroll. But the budget for tiny Villa Park, Orange County’s smallest city, is rising 60% this year--thanks entirely to capital spending on road improvements. And in Irvine, last year’s deficit crisis is nearly forgotten and 38 employees will be added to the city payroll.

In most cities where spending is up, it is for increases in public safety personnel or road improvements. But whether the numbers are rising or falling, the story at city halls throughout Orange County is essentially the same: it is budget-balancing time.

The new fiscal year for California’s cities began Friday, and legally they were required to have had their budgets balanced and approved by the night before. However, several Orange County cities are still working with proposed budgets, including Fullerton, which is scheduled to approve its spending plan tonight.

Following is a city-by-city look at the budget picture in each of the county’s 27 cities. Fullerton

Budget to Drop 4% to $80.3 Million

Despite outlays for 23 new employees this year, reduced capital spending has trimmed Fullerton’s budget about 4% from last year’s, to $80.3 million.

Major capital projects are still scheduled, however, City Manager William C. Winter said. These include a $650,000 street maintenance program and remodeling projects at police and fire stations.

The budget item with “the greatest impact on the city of Fullerton,” Winter said, is a $450,000 increase for police that will cover salaries for nine officers, five dispatchers and an administrative employee.

Barring any last-minute problems, he added, the City Council should approve the budget tonight.