Mission Viejo’s proposed budget is solid – despite a sluggish economy that continues to impact the nation. The City Council on Monday will receive the City Manager’s proposed 2009-11 operating and capital budget that spans the next two fiscal years.
By carefully examining the budget and trimming personnel costs and operating expenses, City staff has been able to present a balanced budget without cuts to police and essential services that the residents and businesses have come to expect in this City, which continues to be one of the safest cities in the nation. City staff has been proactive and began cutbacks in late 2008 by instituting a hiring freeze, deferring projects and reducing operating expenses. Most of the cuts already made in the 2008-09 budget will be carried forward into the next two-year budget. In addition, the City will realize personnel cost savings by eliminating approximately six positions and deferring salary increases. An additional four to six positions are expected to be eliminated over the next two years as a result of retirements and other vacancies. Development-related contract services will be reduced and some street-related costs will be transferred to other funds to lessen the impact on the General Fund.
Revenues for the two-year budget period are estimated at $127.1 million, with $115.1 million in operating budget expenditures. The proposed capital budget for the next two years is $9.9 million. Like other municipalities in the county and nation, the City is experiencing a drop in property and sales tax revenues and development-related revenues. To offset a decline in total City revenues, staff made cuts in several areas, which will not impact core City services, and discretionary reserves will be used to cover one-time capital spending and the costs of some ongoing expenditures, which are important to City residents.
The budget is based on maintaining services that matter most to the community. In the 2008 community survey, residents rated maintaining a low crime rate and City streets, providing trash and recycling services, emergency preparedness and maintaining adequate street lighting as the top five most important services provided to the community.
In response to these comments and input, the police services contract is funded and emergency preparedness, street lighting and crossing guard budgets are intact. The City budgeted funds in the Integrated Waste Management program to increase recycling programs and select a new waste management franchisee. To save money, City streets will be swept and striped less frequently; however, $2.1 million has been budgeted for all other street maintenance, with more than $9.3 million in capital projects for traffic, street and sidewalk improvements proposed over the next two years.
More than 50 percent of residents surveyed also placed great importance on after-school recreation and summer programs; cultural arts programs; playground replacements; funding for community services organizations and material purchase, school outreach and other special programs offered at the library. Holiday and recreation events also ranked high in a June 2008 special topics opinion survey.
Cutting costs while maintaining a high quality of life for residents is essential. To that extent, the Mission Viejo Library, Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center and the City’s recreation and tennis centers will continue to provide full services to the community.
All budget documents are available on the City’s Web site at http://missionviejo.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=4. In addition, the City has established a special e-mail address for residents to submit budget comments and ideas for City Council consideration at budget@cityofmissionviejo.org. The public is also invited to attend a special budget workshop on June 22 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chamber.
