Ventura Must Slice 6% From Spending to Counter Shortfall

The city of Ventura must cut spending by nearly 6% to offset a projected $6-million shortfall in the 1992-94 budget, City Manager John Baker told council members at a meeting Monday.

Baker presented a list of 151 proposed cuts for the council to consider to counteract Ventura’s dwindling revenues and to balance the $101.6-million operating budget.

This is the second consecutive year that city officials will be forced to slash spending in the wake of the downturn in the economy. Officials say eight layoffs may be necessary.

“I look at it as a bump in the road,” Baker said. “It’s nice to know we are not alone. There are cities throughout the nation that are feeling it. I’m truly optimistic that once we get past the bump, we will find that the road is paved.”

Baker’s recommended reductions would affect almost every department in the city.

“We’re holding vacancies wherever we can,” Baker said. “We’ve had a hiring chill.”

In addition, Baker is calling for the elimination of several programs that do not generate enough money to support themselves, including the Ventura Music Festival, which costs about $50,000 a year.

The proposal also suggests reducing police and fire equipment for a savings of about $392,000 a year. It also calls for a $70,000-a-year reduction in the Parks and Recreation Department budget, including building maintenance and in-house printing of brochures.

City officials are also looking at closing or reducing the size of the city’s pistol range, including eliminating the full-time range master’s position at a reduction of $40,000 a year.

Although the cuts will be painful, they are unavoidable, officials said.

“We’re past rubber bands and paper clips,” Councilwoman Cathy Bean said.

Councilman Jack Tingstrom added: “If you don’t have money coming in, you have to do something. Revenues are down and we have to cut.”

Tingstrom, chairman of the council’s finance committee, said the council will go over Baker’s proposal in several study sessions before a vote is taken on the budget in June. Members of the public will have an opportunity to comment during two public hearings.

“I want as many study sessions and open hearings as possible so everyone will know what’s coming,” Tingstrom said. “There are some programs that are dear to people’s hearts that will have to be cut.”

Last year, the council trimmed $1.34 million from the city’s two-year, $101.2-million budget for 1990 to 1992, marking the first time since the late 1970s that the council was forced to slice spending. Officials also raised city fees for permits and other services by about $225,000.

Although Baker has proposed no fee increases in the 1992-94 budget, the city’s financial situation is worse than last year because its revenue sources have continued to drop, he said.

For example, Baker said, sales tax estimates will be $3.4 million less per year than anticipated. “We need to look for a way to close the gap,” he said. “We can’t just say it doesn’t exist and it will go away.”