Azusa : Council Dips Into Reserves
The City Council has approved a $46-million, “bare bones” budget for the fiscal year, but rejected the city administrator’s proposal to lay off one staff member and reduce salaries of part-time employees by 20%.
City Administrator Julio J. Fuentes had recommended the salary cut and a freeze on executive and lower management positions to maintain funding for four police officers and four other police personnel. Fuentes also had recommended laying off the assistant recreation director.
But after hearing protests last week from a number of employees and residents, council members refused to cut back on staff. Instead, the council opted to use about a fourth of the city’s $484,000 reserve fund to fully fund the positions.
Council members instructed Fuentes to pull the funds from reserves and to seek new revenues for the current fiscal year, which began last week.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
