Santa Clarita OKs budget
City Council members approve $203 million budget for 2018-19
The Santa Clarita City Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted its 2018-19 budget, which calls for an increase by 2.6 percent, or about $5.2 million, over the current budget.
The budget was done in six months, a fact that Mayor Laurene Weste noted from the dais.
“It’s a never-ending cycle, a lot of work,” she said. “Our reserves are good, and our budget is balanced.”
The $203 million budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year includes a projected $110.8 million in general fund revenues, with the general fund’s budgeted expenditures at $110.4 million.
The city budgeted $28.7 million for its Capital Improvement Program, which looks at the community’s needs for major projects and factors into the city’s five-year plan, Santa Clarita 2020. The program’s budget is about $5 million less than the current allocation.
However, the city anticipates additional funding for projects, such as the construction contract for the new 46,000-square-foot sheriff’s station on Golden Valley
Road, among other Santa Clarita 2020 projects, said City Manager Ken Striplin.
The council plans to seek analysis on Sand Canyon trail for future evacuations, Weste said.
During public comment, resident Alan Ferdman said the council gave too short of
notice to the public in posting the budget draft for substantial discussion to take place.
Through approval of its consent calendar, the city awarded the contract to
begin construction of the new sheriff’s station on Golden Valley Road, which is the city’s most expensive project to date at over $62 million.
The council also
approved selected book vendors for the new Santa Clarita Public Library transition. Vendors include ABDO Publishing, Children’s Plus Inc., Ingram Library Services and others. City staff operation of the library will begin July 1, marking a departure from the city’s previous private contract with Library Systems and Services.