ANAHEIM : Tight Budget Plan Trims 32 City Jobs

Facing sagging sales tax revenue and the state’s general economic slump, the city will have to eliminate 32 positions during the fiscal year that begins July 1, according to the preliminary 1992-93 city budget unveiled Tuesday.

No new taxes will be necessary, according to the document.

The city’s overall expenditures are expected to total $538 million during the fiscal year that runs through June 30, 1993, according to the proposal. That is an increase of 4% over the current fiscal year’s expenditures of almost $516 million. Nearly all of the increase will go to the Public Utilities Department to improve its facilities and to cover the rising cost of electricity and water.

The city’s general fund budget--which pays for services such as police and fire protection, parks and libraries--will be $136 million, up about 3% from the $132 million spent this year. But that is down about 5% from the $145 million spent two years ago, before the recession took hold.

Most the increase will go to the police and fire departments. Cuts in the budgets for libraries, public works and other departments will offset the increase.

Sales-tax revenue, which pays for about a quarter of the city’s general fund expenditures, is projected to drop slightly in the coming fiscal year to $34.6 million, from the current year’s $34.9 million. That is well below the $36.5 million raised two years ago.

The proposed layoffs come one year after the city cut 180 jobs through attrition, layoffs and early retirement to cut $20 million from its budget.

The maintenance department is pegged to eliminate the most employees--42. The utilities department will lose 21 employees and parks and recreation and public works two apiece.

Departments gaining employees include Anaheim Stadium, 15, all of whom will transfer from maintenance; police, 11 and community development, five.

Under the proposed budget, the Police Department would hire six new officers and five civilian employees. It would see its budget increase to $53.3 million, from $49.6 million.

The Fire Department will hire no additional firefighters, but will use its increased budget to open a new station now under construction in Anaheim Hills. Its budget will be $26.5 million, up from $24.6 million.

The libraries will see their budget cut to $5.7 million, from $6.3 million.

Public hearings are scheduled June 9 and 16. The council is required by the City Charter to adopt the budget before July 1.