Santa Clarita city officials are planning for a slight increase in their revenue projections for the coming fiscal year, according to a budget meeting Tuesday night.
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The numbers call for a 0.8 percent increase to the general fund, which is expected to total about $187.3 million.
The numbers were reported by City Manager Ken Striplin at a budget planning session for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
“The five-year forecast looks stable,” according to the numbers, which divide the budget thusly: Half of the budget is for Operations and Maintenance; Personnel Services, comprises 26 percent; Capital Projects, such as the Golden Valley Bridge Widening, comprises 17 percent; 4 percent is for Capital Outlay; 2 percent is Reserves and Debt Services; Successor Agency 1 percent.
The plan also calls for an increase in the general fund reserve to 19 percent.
Within the various budgets, there are adjustments called for over 2014-15 fiscal year. The Public Safety portion of the city’s budget, which includes the city’s contract with the Sheriff’s Department, calls for a 2.5 percent increase in the base contract cost, which amounts to a little less than a half-million dollars.
Additional costs associated with law enforcement services include $100,000 for automated license plate reader speed trailers; $9,300 for automated license plate reader units; $73,312 for an additional deputy and a motorcycle; and $166,500 for Domestic Highway Enforcement Team operations.
In terms of celebrations in the city, the budget also calls for $80,000 for Old Town Newhall holiday decor and $109,000 to further the city’s Tourism Marketing District.
City officials plan to spend $138,000 on Cemex advocacy, a slight increase over the $135,000 budgeted last year for the city’s fight against a massive sand-and-gravel mine from opening in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The major capital improvement projects mentioned in the budget include: $1.42 million for Sierra Highway-Golden Valley Road pedestrian bridge improvements; $1.2 million is budgeted for the design and construction of a Vista Canyon Ranch CNG Station; the Orchard Village Road median turf removal plan is set to cost $50,000; Nearly one-third of a million ($300,000) is budgeted for working on utility lines under Soledad Canyon Road; $1.57 million is slated for Valencia Boulevard median work; and the Canyon Country Community Center will be designed for $1.6 million.
The largest chunk is for roadway improvements, with about $9.5 million budgeted for the year.
The budget plan is scheduled to be approved June 23 at a meeting in front of Santa Clarita City Council. The next subcommittee meeting for the budget is scheduled for May 11.
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