Arcadia : $57.4-Million Budget OKd

After more than a dozen challenges to individual budget items by one council member, the Arcadia City Council unanimously approved a $57.4-million budget for 1993-94 that includes a new fire station, renovation of a library and revitalizing the downtown area.

For two hours Councilman Robert C. Harbicht challenged item after item in an attempt to trim the budget. Most of the time, Harbicht’s motions, such as one to eliminate $12,000 for a management retreat facilitator, were not seconded by any of the other four members and failed.

City Manager Donald R. Duckworth said the budget does not take into account proposals for the state to siphon more property tax revenue from the city next year. He said the budget will be reassessed in January after the city knows how much state revenue it will receive.

A $2.2-million shortfall in sales and property tax revenue will be made up by $266,000 in revenue increases, $880,000 in cutbacks and $1 million from city’s $5.6-million reserve.

The revenue increases will come from requiring business licenses for horse trainers, providing fire dispatch service for neighboring Monrovia and increasing the hotel bed tax from 8% to 10%.

Arcadia will cut all department budgets by 4% and save $443,100 by deferring salary increases for city employees by six months.

The budget provides $3.2 million for a new fire station on Baldwin Avenue, money to renovate the central library and revitalize the downtown area by bringing in new retailers and refurbishing the aging business district.