Council Reviews Charitable Spending

In the 1989-90 fiscal year, the city donated $16,916 to area charities and nonprofits.

This year, the city plans to spend only $400--money for City Council members to attend fund-raisers for the Casa Youth Shelter and Cypress College.

The drop in donations can be attributed to the belt-tightening recession and decreased state revenue. Donations in 1996-97 were $875.

City Council members this week reviewed charitable spending policies to see if it would be better to spend its limited money on other nonprofits citywide, rather than focus on two.

But officials instead agreed to look at items on a case-by-case basis and keep the 1997-98 spending plan as is.

Though spending is down, city staff and council members donate their time to many charitable causes throughout the year by attending fund-raisers, providing free repair work and volunteering.