Council to review city budget

In a special meeting that starts at 8:30 a.m. today at La Cañada Flintridge City Hall, City Council members will consider approving adjustments to city spending during their annual mid-year budget review.

Thanks to increases in sales tax and building permit revenues, which offset shrinking property taxes, city revenue from June to December came in $147,400 above projections, according to a report prepared by city Finance Director Daniel Jordan.

But City Hall spent $67,000 more than planned, largely on computer upgrades and unplanned street improvements.

Officials also want approval for $80,400 in new spending.

That request includes $30,000 for traffic engineering services related to defending lawsuits over the April 2009 Angeles Crest Highway truck collision, widening Beulah Street to accommodate Sprouts Farmers Market and paying the cost of grant applications that earned $185,400.

There’s also a plan to spend $19,800 to evaluate and improve the user-friendliness of the Planning Department.

Though revenue and expenditures seem to even out, FEMA reimbursements for costs associated with the February 2010 mudslides are expected to increase the city’s fiscal reserves by more than $400,000.

Check www.lacanadaonline.com this week for meeting coverage.