Glendale City Council Meeting Preview: 2010-11 budget

The City Council on Tuesday will consider a proposed $809-million city budget for the next fiscal year, including the $164.3-million General Fund, which covers the city’s day-to-day operations.

The proposed budget relies on $3 million in employee salary and benefit concessions to help balance a projected $8.1-million budget gap, even though deals have yet to be struck with the city’s four employee unions. Negotiations remain ongoing.

In addition to employee concessions, city officials have proposed diverting sales tax revenue away from capital improvement projects and into the General Fund, among other funding swaps.

The City Council is legally required to adopt a balanced budget by July 1, but City Manager Jim Starbird has said the figures could change after the deadline.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council will likely discuss the budget, but will not take a vote until next week’s meeting.

health-care costs

The City Council is expected to approve spending $1.2 million to cover the cost of rising employee health-care costs, even as city officials negotiate with employee unions to pick up a larger share.

Each year, the council approves amendments to employee contracts to cover insurance rate adjustments, which have continued to grow.

Under their current contracts, members of the largest employee union, the Glendale City Employees’ Assn., and the Glendale Firefighters’ Assn. will pay for 50% of the increased costs. Members of the Glendale Police Officers Assn. will pay 25% of the adjustment, and members of the Glendale Management Assn. will pay 10%. City executives, who serve at will, will also pay 10%.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council will likely approve the allocation as they are required under current contracts. Changing the funding percentage with the police or fire unions would require amending their contracts, which extend through June 2011 and 2012, respectively. City officials must reach new agreements with the other two unions, since their contracts expire June 30.

Trash fees

The City Council will consider a proposed 3% increase to the city’s current trash pick-up fees to cover higher capital costs and disposal rates.

The proposed fee increased would raise the monthly rate for a single family by about 53 cents.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council will likely approve the proposed increase, which public works officials say is needed to fund capital projects.