ANAHEIM : Community Program Funding Vote Due

The City Council this evening will consider how much money to allot to various community service organizations including the Anaheim Family YMCA, the Anaheim Interfaith Shelter, and the local Boys and Girls Club.

The council, which has budgeted nearly $129,000 to support these agencies, is being asked by the Community Services Board to appropriate $71,000 more.

If that happens, the board recommends that the extra money be awarded to agencies including the Anaheim Museum, the Children’s Bureau, the Crippled Children’s Society, and the Women’s Transitional Living Center.

Also this evening, the council will consider changes in water rates that would result in larger bills for business and industry and smaller bills for residents.

Under the proposal, average water bills for residents would decrease by about 10% over the next five years, while bills for business and industrial users would rise by about 10% over the same period.

Currently, residents are subsidizing water rates for commercial users, city officials say.

The council also will consider imposing a systemwide 1.5% water rate hike that would raise an additional $500,000 a year for the city. Some council members are concerned, however, that such a hike amounts to putting a tax on water users.

The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Anaheim City Hall, 200 S. Anaheim Blvd. Information: (714) 254-5100.