Laura Sturza
CIVIC CENTER -- With a general fund budget similar to last year's, the
city's proposed budget came in balanced and "pretty status quo," City
Manager Bud Ovrom said.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Financial Services Director Derek
Hanway presented the proposed budget for fiscal year 2002-03, with the
general fund totaling about $112 million. Last year's total was about
$108 million. The fiscal year starts in July.
The general fund -- which is part of the city's larger total fund --
finances services including law enforcement, public works, community
development, libraries and parks.
This year's total funds were about $460 million, compared to last
year's total of $590 million. The $130 million difference can primarily
be attributed to changes in the water and power industry that included
financing major capital projects, Burbank Water and Power Director Ron
Davis said.
The total fund includes money from the federal or state government for
restricted uses, as well as internal service funds that go toward
replacing equipment and enterprise funds to cover the cost of the city's
own operations, Hanway said.
The opening of Empire Center was central to the city's stability,
Ovrom said.
"That's what's driving our sales-tax growth," Ovrom said. "Most cities
are probably having flat to declining sales-tax revenues."
One of the biggest unknowns the city faces in the coming year is how
the state's budget problems could trickle down to Burbank.
"If the state, in fact, tries to balance the budget on the backs of
the cities, they could come after our revenues," Ovrom said.
That would be most likely to occur after Burbank adopts its final
budget in June, he said.
"It's our understanding that they will adopt their budget in June or
July and balance it with smoke and mirrors until after the November
elections," Ovrom continued. "Then, surprise surprise, [they'll] discover
a budget crisis ... which will be passed on to us."
However, it would be risky for the city to develop a contingency plan.
"We don't have a specific plan in place at this point and we're not
very motivated to do so," Ovrom said. "Because if we did, they'd say,
'See, they can do it [without our help]."
Though there is no set plan, Deputy Financial Services Director Judy
Sarquiz said the city ran a "drill" in December. Each department
considered what it would do if hit with a 4% cut, including postponing
projects or cutting programs.
The Sept. 11 attacks affected the budget by way of decreases in taxes
from hotels and airport parking and increases in police, fire and safety
services, Hanway said.
Some of the projects to be covered by this year's budget include
continued boosts to police and fire services, the new Buena Vista Park
Library, the new skate park, and additional staffing at those facilities.
