BURBANK : $288-Million Budget Gets Tentative OK

The Burbank City Council gave preliminary approval to a $288-million budget that was balanced after cutting $6.8 million, city officials said Wednesday.

Budget Administrator Bud Dettmann said that the trims were accomplished by leaving some positions unfilled, transferring other employees, increasing some fees and freezing the salaries of most city staff members.

The budget was approved on a 4-0 vote Tuesday night. The city might have to adjust the budget later this summer, Dettmann said.

“There was about $3 million from salary freezes,” Dettmann said. “The employee groups have for the most part agreed to salary freezes to avert layoffs. Another $3 million was cut from a variety of departments.”

About 40 city positions were eliminated, 20 of which were unfilled. About 20 employees will be transferred to other jobs.

“As of right now, there will be no layoffs,” Dettmann said. “The employee unions still need to give final approval on that.”

Among the increased fees were those for film permits, impounded vehicles, animal adoption and fees charged to businesses when burglar alarms go off unnecessarily, Dettmann said.

The 1992-93 budget is an increase of $10 million over last year’s budget of $278 million, Dettmann said. But much of the increase involves fixed costs, such as pensions and debt obligations, he said.