Council Will Weigh More Austere Budget

The City Council tonight will consider approving a leaner 1997-1998 budget, made necessary by the defeat of a tax on utility bills earlier this month.

City officials drew up two budgets in February, after they found themselves with a $2.8-million shortfall when Proposition 218 outlawed the city’s lighting and landscaping taxing district. The city’s so-called “green budget” cut $1.8 million in services and city jobs, such as park, beach and street upgrades, and the jobs of 23 public-works maintenance employees.

The council hoped to make up the remaining $1 million with the passage of a 2.5% tax on utility bills. In case it failed, the council drew up a “red budget,” which made even further drastic cuts, including eliminating local police dispatching, closing Richard T. Steed Memorial Park and dropping programs for at-risk youths.

But voters defeated the proposed tax, 5,105 to 3,577, on June 3.

At the council meeting the night after the vote, tax opponents asked the council to look at its budget again and cut other areas. But council members said they carefully drew up the two budgets to show residents exactly what their choices were when they cast ballots in the tax vote. Councilman Steve Apodaca said it would be dishonest to the voters to change the budget now and not approve the red budget as it was presented to the public before the vote.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio.

Information: (714) 361-8322.