Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Santa Clarita City Manager Urges Cuts in Most Departments for 2nd Straight Year : Budget: Public safety is the only department to escape the ax. The draft version calls for no cost-of-living pay increases and no layoffs.

Hit by California’s faltering economy, the city manager has proposed cutbacks in nearly all departments for the second year in a row.

The $52.8-million draft budget presented to the City Council calls for no cost-of-living pay increases for employees and would leave 13 full-time city staff positions vacant. No layoffs are proposed.

The budget is $1.3 million less than last year’s.

“This budget reflects the fiscal realities facing cities throughout our state,” said City Manager George Caravalho in his annual budget message. “Again, you will not see the significant expansion experienced in earlier years. Rather, you will see the results of difficult decisions made, following months of discussion, negotiation and analysis.”

Among the proposed cuts presented to the City Council on Tuesday were:

* Leaving vacant positions for three planners; two engineers; an information analyst; three clerks; an engineering aide; a recreation coordinator; a permit specialist; and a building maintenance worker, at a savings of $500,000.

* Using city staff rather than consultants for work on capital projects at a savings of $360,000.

* Eliminating tree trimming except for emergency work, saving $110,000.

* Cutting $25,000 for waste management consulting.

* Delaying $29,000 in computer upgrades and software purchases.

Public safety was one of the few areas to receive added funding, up from $8.4 million to $9 million. Despite the increased spending, the city will receive fewer police services next fiscal year, which begins July 1, according to the proposal.

Santa Clarita contracts for police protection with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which this year instituted a 5.75% cost-of-living salary increase and a 4.6% surcharge on police services.

“I think (there’s) the realization that we have to have public safety above anything else,” Councilman George Pederson said. He cited Santa Clarita’s ranking by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as one of the safest cities of its size in the nation.

The Sheriff’s Department cuts include elimination of helicopter patrols from the Santa Clarita station and reduction in personnel available for speaking to schools and community groups. Staffing of patrol cars may also be reduced from two officers to one.

The sales tax, the largest single source of income for Santa Clarita, is expected to grow by $1 million for the 1993-94 fiscal year, an 8% boost attributable to the Valencia Town Center mall and Price Club facility, both of which opened last year. Property tax revenues are expected to drop.

“We’re in much better shape than most cities,” said Councilwoman Jo Anne Darcy. “The mall was a major contributor to our sales tax,” along with car dealerships.

The City Council will begin a series of budget sessions on May 27 and adopt a final draft before June 30.

Jonathan Gaw is a staff writer. Douglas Alger is a correspondent.