YORBA LINDA : Council to Consider $36-Million Budget

The City Council will consider a $36-million budget for the coming fiscal year at its meeting Tuesday night.

Finance director Gordon Vessey characterized the proposed spending plan as a hold-the-line budget, with little spending increase over the current budget in most categories.

The budget, however, does include $10 million in street improvements, up from $4 million in the current budget. The city hopes to pay for most of those improvements with Measure M grants from the state.

Under the proposed budget, general fund spending, which represents the day-to-day operations of the city, will increase about $400,000 to $13,413,200.

Most of the increase is a result of spending hikes for public safety/police services and parks and recreation.

The 5% increase in police spending reflects a recently approved contract between the police union and the city of Brea, with which the city contracts for police service.

Parks and recreation expenditures will increase about $260,000 to cover staffing of the new community center, which will be completed this fall.

Other small increases occur in the City Council budget, city manager’s budget and public works spending.

According to Vessey, the proposed budget should not have any impact on the level of city services. No layoffs are planned, and the only reduction in staff will come in the building and engineering departments.

Two inspectors from each department will retire at the end of the current fiscal year, and the city does not plan to replace them.

The reduction is a cost-saving move, Vessey said, but is tied more to the decrease in building activity.