New Police, Balanced Budget Highlight Year

From the hiring of more police officers to balancing the city budget to proposing grand projects expected to bring in more revenue, Anaheim had a banner year, according to the city’s annual progress report released this week.

The 37-page document details what the administration says it has accomplished in the fiscal year that ended July 1.

City Manager James D. Ruth said that among the more significant accomplishments was keeping the city financially sound while the county weathered bankruptcy.

“We have come out of the bankruptcy with excellent credit ratings in the city,” Ruth said. High credit ratings result in lower financing costs when municipal bonds are issued.

“Secondly, we’ve been able to not only balance the budget but restore services that were previously cut,” Ruth said. Making this possible were healthy jumps in revenue from the sales and hotel bed taxes. Officials attributed the increase to a rise in tourism and the hike of the hotel bed tax last year to 15% from 13%.

In the area of public safety, Ruth pointed to construction plans for a police substation in Anaheim Hills and to the addition of 36 police officers over the last three years.

Other accomplishments include the announcement of two key projects:

* Sportstown Anaheim, a proposed sports, entertainment and retail complex that would be built on Anaheim Stadium property. The city is seeking private financing.

* A proposed $150-million expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center, which would be funded through a $400-million bond issue that would also cover street and landscape improvements associated with a planned expansion of Disneyland.