Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Palmdale Council Delays Adopting New Budget : Finances: Funding is unsettled for crossing guards and anti-drug and crime-prevention programs.

Unable to decide how much to spend on several key public safety programs, the Palmdale City Council has postponed adoption of a new budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Still undecided is the funding for school crossing guards, an anti-drug program for elementary school children, a counseling program for troubled teen-agers and the Neighborhood Watch crime prevention program.

After sheriff’s deputies and parents complained about proposals to curtail or eliminate funding for these programs, the City Council decided Wednesday night that the finance plan needs more tinkering before it can be adopted.

“It’s a very tough budget,” Mayor Jim Ledford said. “This council wants to re-look at these issues.”

In addition, Ledford said a full council should be present to decide where money will be spent over the coming fiscal year. Councilman Jim Root was absent from Wednesday’s meeting. “We don’t want Councilman Root to miss out on the fun,” the mayor quipped.

The council ordered a July 26 special workshop to address the thorny safety funding problems.

Because of a measure adopted by the council before July 1, the city can continue spending at 1993-94 levels until the overdue 1994-95 finance plan is approved.

Palmdale officials are continuing to wrestle with a lean budget proposal that has already led to the layoffs of six employees and calls for the elimination of seven other jobs that are not currently filled. City leaders said the continuing economic slowdown has reduced revenue flowing into Palmdale, which was one of the state’s fastest-growing cities in the late 1980s.

Most city services would continue at their present levels under the proposed budget. The major exception is law enforcement, which would receive a $1.2-million increase over last year. Most of the extra money is earmarked for more crime patrols by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.

To offset this expense, City Administrator Robert W. Toone Jr. proposed that Neighborhood Watch and drug education programs for elementary students, both now handled by deputies, be turned over to civilians to cut the cost almost in half.

In addition, he proposed that the city stop paying for school crossing guards, turning the $224,000 expense over to the Palmdale School District. Also, he urged that no funds be given to the United Community Action Network, a youth counseling program that has received $25,000 annually from the city in past years.

These proposals provoked strong criticism from deputies and parents at council meetings Tuesday and Wednesday. But council members cautioned that these cuts were only recommendations that the council might accept, reject or modify.

Prior to the June 26 budget workshop, Ledford urged the other council members to propose creative changes in the spending plan that could release more money for the safety programs now slated for cutbacks.

City Administrator Toone, anxious to get a new budget in place, agreed. “Please bring me some solutions,” he said.