Laguna Niguel : Council Approves $14.3-Million Budget
A $14.3-million operating budget for 1995-96 was approved with few changes by the City Council this week.
The biggest addition to the budget was $750,000 for street resurfacing and $800,000 to expand the parking lot at Crown Valley Community Park.
The only objections to the budget were raised by Councilman Eddie Rose, who criticized the $213,000 paid by the city for legal services and $35,000 set aside for the Shop Laguna Niguel program to promote local restaurants and stores.
Rose called the $213,000 billed for legal services by City Atty. Terry Dixon “excessive for a part-time city attorney.”
Dixon, who operates a private practice in Costa Mesa, also supplies a legal secretary and another lawyer to the city.
Other council members defended Dixon.
What Dixon charges “is a bargain,” Mayor Mark Goodman said.
Rose said he approved giving $35,000 to support the Shop Laguna Niguel program this year, but opposed renewing the funding without knowing whether the sales drive increased city tax revenue.
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