Stanton Ca Budget

The city doesn't have enough money to cover the county's trim of $90,000 from the Stanton library's budget, but city officials hope to help find funds from community groups. "At this point in time, there is not much the city can do to help out," said Councilman Harry Dotson. "But the library is important to the community, so we need to help them out." The Stanton branch was hard hit by the county's decision to cut the budget for all county libraries from $20 million to $17 million.

This year's proposed city budget maintains important public safety services while pushing forward on several improvement projects, City Manager Terry Matz said. More than half of the $11.5 million in revenue for 2000-01 will go toward law enforcement and fire protection. But residents can look forward to several tangible improvements to the city, he said.

The City Council passed its $14.4-million budget this week. "This is a very good budget," said Councilman Sal Sapien. "We have managed to maintain a really high level of service and give employee pay increases despite the fact the state is taking money away and the fact that we lost a lot of money in the [county] investment pool." Stanton residents should see some major improvements resulting from provisions in the 1995-96 budget, said City Manager Terry Matz.

A public hearing will be held on the city's $22-million budget at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the council chamber, 7800 Katella Ave. The council will consider whether to adopt the budget, which includes funding for a new skateboard park, upgrading of the city's parks and construction of a new neighborhood center.

Stanton residents may see fewer police officers patrolling the streets if the state ends up withholding $1.4 million in vehicle-license fees and property tax revenue from the city, according to City Manager Terry Matz. The tentative $13-million budget slated for City Council adoption Tuesday already requires the city to dip into its reserves. If the state keeps or reallocates all the revenue the city has traditionally received, drastic cutbacks will be required, Matz said.

After approving a tentative $13-million budget for the 1992-93 fiscal year, City Council members vowed to keep fighting the state's efforts to take $1.4 million in vehicle license and property tax revenue from the city. "We will not go down without a fight," said Councilman Don Martinez, who urged his colleagues to continue lobbying legislators.

Hoping to mollify business people upset about a recently imposed 6% utility tax, the City Council has agreed to postpone a decision to increase many city fees until after a special meeting today. Council members will hold the joint session today with the Stanton Chamber of Commerce. They have also pledged $7,000 to a new campaign called Buy and Shop in Stanton (BASIS), which was planned by the chamber and city staff.

City leaders have put a budget-cutting contingency plan in place that would eliminate five law-enforcement positions to compensate for expected revenue losses from Proposition 218. The plan was prompted by the June 3 defeat of Measure B, a public safety services fee that would have raised about $2.9 million for police and fire services.

At the city's mid-year budget review Tuesday night, officials announced that Stanton has a balanced budget--plus about $200,000 more than expected. City Manager Terry Matz said officials did not discuss what to do with the additional revenue. A meeting on the fiscal year 1999-2000 budget will take place Saturday at 9 a.m. in council chambers, 7800 Katella Ave.

City leaders have put a budget-cutting contingency plan in place that would eliminate five law-enforcement positions to compensate for expected revenue losses from Proposition 218. The plan was prompted by the June 3 defeat of Measure B, a public safety services fee that would have raised about $2.9 million for police and fire services.

In a city already considering sizable cuts in police and fire services, council members are concerned that welfare reform could place new demands on the budget and further endanger public safety funding. Mayor Brian Donahue will lead a council discussion Tuesday on welfare reform and its potential effects on the city. "We need to be aware that something is going to happen," Donahue said. "Welfare reform is going to cause people to lose their welfare checks and their food stamps.