La Habra Heights : Budget Contains Cutbacks

After a number of study sessions, the La Habra Heights City Council has approved a 1988-89 budget that calls for a sharp reduction in the city’s small staff, closure of the The Park’s gymnasium and a cutback in City Hall’s public hours.

The $1.786-million spending plan represents a slight decrease from the estimated expenses of last fiscal year. If projected revenues prove accurate, the city would end the new fiscal year with a surplus of more than $100,000 to add to its skimpy reserve fund.

Faced with flat revenues and rising costs, the City Council trimmed $222,000 from the staff’s budget proposal. Four staff positions have been eliminated: two part-time internships, a secretarial position and a part-time maintenance position. One of the internships and the secretarial job are vacant, but workers in the remaining two positions are being laid off. Additionally, The Park gym will be closed as of Sept. 1, except for previously scheduled events. Groups accustomed to using the gym once a year will be able to use the facility for one more year, to give them time to find another location.

To make up for the labor cutbacks, the council drastically shortened the amount of time City Hall will be open to the public. Starting Sept. 1, city offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, but only from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Friday. Staff hours will remain the same, leaving workers more time to tend to staff work. To compensate for their increased workload, the remaining five full-time staff members and one part-time maintenance worker are scheduled to receive a 5% cost of living raise in January, and they will be eligible for an additional 5% merit raise next June.

The city ended the 1987-88 fiscal year with a $20,000 deficit, which city officials partially attributed to unexpected legal and engineering costs associated with a controversial proposal to rebuild Hacienda Boulevard.