Anaheim OKs $133-Million General Fund Budget : Finances: The figure is several million dollars less than the previous year, but it includes funding for nine new police officers. However, 31 positions will be eliminated.

A lean, $133-million general fund budget, which includes money for nine new police officers but eliminates 31 positions in other departments, was passed unanimously by the City Council on Tuesday.

Mayor Tom Daly said the budget focuses on “crucial law enforcement areas” and reflects the concerns of the community.

The nine new officers, whose pay and benefits will be partially funded by a federal program, bring the total number of city police to 384. The city has added 42 people to the force in the past five years, including 22 last year.

Chief Randall Gaston said the increased police visibility resulted in 11,599 fewer calls for service in 1994 than in 1993. The number of gang members arrested last year increased to 778 from 450 the year before, he said.

“We will continue to emphasize a visible presence,” Gaston said during his budget presentation to the council.

When planning the new budget, city officials faced an $8-million shortfall. To make up the gap, the city reduced a planned contribution to a reserve fund by $4 million, cut $1 million from the budget and added about $3 million in onetime revenue, officials said.

But the budget news was not all bad.

Besides hiring more police officers, the city will reopen its branch libraries on Mondays and continue to fund a slate of gang-prevention programs that the council voted to pay for on a temporary basis last fall.

The city’s total 1995-96 budget is about $576 million, an 8.5% decline from last year, which officials attribute to decreased spending by its public utilities department. The discretionary general fund budget is $132.6 million, down $4 million from last fiscal year.

The elimination of the 31 positions continues a trend; since 1991, the work force has decreased by 241 jobs, including 45 management jobs.

The 31 jobs include nine in management, some of which are being eliminated because of the merging of the operations of Anaheim Stadium and Anaheim Convention Center.

Other cuts include the downsizing of the city’s data processing department, resulting in the elimination of four management positions; the elimination of the investment officer’s post in the city treasurer’s office; and cuts in the city’s administration, city clerk and planning departments.

Also Tuesday, the council in closed session discussed a three-year pact they intend to offer to the city’s police union, Daly said.

“We are very close to an agreement, which includes a pay raise,” Daly said.

The mayor would not say what the offer is, but he said negotiations were going smoothly--a dramatic departure from last year when acrimonious contract negotiations led to a sickout and a threatened recall of the mayor.

“There’s a real positive attitude among all of the parties,” Daly said. “The police officers are doing an outstanding job, and they deserve a raise.”

Although the city’s offer is not yet final, the union began voting this week on the city’s proposal “in concept,” city officials said.

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General Spending Anaheim’s City Council approved $132.6 million for the 1995-96 general fund budget. Some 1995-96 budget highlights and a general fund trend, in millions of dollars: *

What the Budget Does * Hires nine additional police officers * Eliminates 31 positions in other city departments, including four managers * Reopens city branch libraries on Mondays * Merges stadium and convention center operations * Downsizes data-processing department, eliminating four managers * Eliminates investment officer in treasurer’s office *

General Fund Budgets 1989-1990: $123.6 1995-1996: $1132.6 Source: City of Anaheim