IRVINE : Budget Proposal Includes Layoffs

Officials have unveiled a $63.6-million operating budget that proposes the elimination of 33 full-time city jobs but doesn’t call for any tax increases and service cuts.

The 1993-94 fiscal year budget, presented at a recent Finance Committee meeting, is scheduled to go before the City Council next month. City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. said earlier this week that the cuts are necessary to help close a $3.5-million shortfall.

Of the 33 positions targeted for elimination, 28 are vacant, including one management job in the Environmental Affairs Department. As a result, only five full-time city employees face layoffs.

Of the five, two are managers in the Cultural Affairs and Public Works departments. Officials have not decided who else will face possible layoffs.

Three part-time workers are also slated for layoffs.

Under Irvine’s layoff policy, workers whose positions are cut can be considered for other job openings within the city if they are qualified, Brady said.

So far, the most controversial element of the budget plan has been the proposed layoff of Henry Korn, Irvine’s cultural affairs manager.

Some arts leaders in the city have decried the proposal, saying that losing Korn’s fund-raising and cultural expertise would be a “tragedy” for community arts groups. The city would save about $100,000 a year in salary and benefits if Korn’s position is eliminated.

Brady defended the decision, saying it was necessary given the city’s tight budget. He said Korn’s supervisor, Community Services Director Deanna Manning, recommended that the position be eliminated. No other cuts are proposed in the city’s arts budget, he added.

Brady noted that the budget does not call for tax increases or cuts in services. The budget also maintains a reserve of about $4 million.

“In this community when you consider the recession, it doesn’t make much sense to me to look at increasing taxes,” he said. “You have to make cuts to get a balanced budget and not always raise taxes.”

Brady noted that other cities around the county are considering both tax increases and service cuts to close budget shortfalls.

Like most cities, Irvine is facing cuts in funding from the state--anywhere from $600,000 to $1.2 million this year.

During the past two years, Irvine has trimmed its work force significantly. In 1990, the city had 686 full-time positions. If this budget is approved, Irvine will have 602 such positions.

The proposed $63.6-million operating budget covers day-to-day city operations such as law enforcement and community services. The council will also vote on a $5.6-million capital improvement budget and a $375-million special funds budget.