Parks, Bike Patrols Benefit Under New Budget

Although the city’s budget for the 1996-97 fiscal year will be slightly less than last year’s, it still includes money for new bike patrols and $1 million to build parks.

The city approved a $6.2-million budget that is $105,000 less than the 1995-96 fiscal year.

“It means we are doing things more efficiently,” City Manager Robert Dominguez said.

The city will spend $30,000 to replace outdated computers in the finance department. It will hire four police cadets who will patrol city streets on bikes for a cost of $17,000. And it transferred $1 million from a reserve fund to a special park account that will be used to construct recreational facilities. Dominguez, however, said the city is fortunate it was able to pass a balanced budget this fiscal year, because sales-tax revenue is down.

“Our sales tax is flat. It is less now than it was in 1988,” he said. “This trend does not look good for the future of our general fund.”

During the 1987-88 fiscal year, the city collected a total of $2.3 million in sales tax revenue; it received $2 million this past fiscal year.

“We have to do more with our businesses in town, and we have to attract more businesses to come to town,” he said.

The city is in the process of interviewing candidates to fill a vacant community development director position. This person will work to make the city more business-friendly.

The new director could be named as early as Wednesday, Dominguez said.