Pomona : Council Considers Budget

The City Council this week began reviewing a proposed budget for the next fiscal year that includes $74 million to operate city departments, $15 million for redevelopment and $34 million in capital improvements.

The capital budget is unusually large because the city plans to sell $17 million in bonds to finance improvements to streets, the water system and other facilities.

Elray H. Konkel, city finance director, said general fund revenue is expected to increase 3% to 3.5% this year. The increase would have been higher than that, Konkel said, but the City Council is committed to reducing the utility tax by $800,000 this year.

The proposed budget is for the fiscal year that began Sunday. The council received the budget from City Administrator Julio Fuentes at the end of May but did not begin reviewing it in study sessions until this week because some members have been absent.

The city will operate at last year’s spending levels until the new budget is adopted. The council is tentatively scheduled to consider the budget July 23.