City Balances Budget But Leaner Years Ahead

On June 4, the San Leandro City Council unanimously adopted a balanced budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2012 and ends June 30, 2013.

It calls for $119,454,751 in total spending. 

City officials said this is the second consecutive year that the budget has been balanced without using one-time funds to pay for recurring expenses

But Mayor Stephen Cassidy said next year's budget will be more challenging.

"The City is facing serious budget deficits in future years," he said.

City Manager Chris Zapata said the budget adds $600,000 to reserve funds and allocates $542,000 in one-time revenues to help maintain city buildings and facilities.  

The entire budget is available at the Main Library and will be on the City website. City Finance Director David Baum provided a presentation of the City Manager's proposed budget, which is substantially the same as the budget adopted by the Council. A copy is attached as a PDF.

A few facts from the presentation:

• Nearly six out of every 10 dollars of general fund expenditures goes to police and fire;
• The number of city employees has fallen from 500 to 407 in the last four years;
• Sales taxes are the single most important source of city revenues but even with the Measure Z increase, the take is barely even with what it was six years ago.

The new budget also provides for (see page four of attached PDF for details):

• Purchase of new software for crime analysis and information sharing for the Police Department; 
• Restoration of funding for tours of the San Leandro Art and History Museum by public and private school children; 
• Funding provided to the San Leandro Unified School District for a gang prevention specialist; 
• Supplemental grant to Building Futures with Women and Children to cover a shortfall and continue operations of the San Leandro shelter for homeless women and children; 
• Restoration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Holiday celebration; 
• Matching funding for Library Book Collection and Literacy Program.

(Get San Leandro Patch delivered by email. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @sanleandropatch)