Live Oak expecting budget increase

A pair of capital improvement projects are the driving factors in the city of Live Oak’s $3.5 million increase in a proposed fiscal year 2017-18 budget.

Live Oak’s revenue is expected to be about $2.7 million, which is $11,300 more from a year ago. General fund expenses are expected to be $3.1 million, which is $231,892 more than a year ago.

The total amount for the proposed budget is $25.6 million, which is a 13.6 percent increase from the 2016-17 adopted budget.

According to Joe Aguilar, a consultant who acted as the city’s finance director, the budget increase has to do with two capital improvement projects: finalization of a solar panels at the sewage plant; and construction projects on Pennington Road.

“These are the big ticket items on the budget this year,” Aguilar said. “These projects are mostly covered by state grant funding, so a very small amount came from the city.”

Two notable sources of revenue that have increased significantly in this year’s budget, are revenues from water service charges and state gas taxes.

Aguilar said revenues from water usage have risen to pre-drought levels. Service charges in the fiscal year 2015-16 totaled $760,839. In the 2017-18 proposed budget, service charges are expected to be at $837,000.

According to the proposed budget, gas tax revenues are estimated at $256,868. This is an increase from the $181,294 projected for the fiscal year 2016-17.

General fund The general fund is money the City Council has discretion over and is generated through local taxes.

Public safety, in the form of police and fire services, comprise 56 percent of the general fund. The percentage of the general fund dedicated to public safety is roughly equivalent to last year’s adopted budget.

Community development and administrative services are the next largest budgets within the general fund, with both at roughly $248,000. Both funds increased by $15,000 from about a year ago.

Animal control services, building inspection, engineering, finance services, facility maintenance, city council and the city attorney’s department all received budget increases below $10,000.

Highway 99 Streetscape According to Aguilar, the proposed budget does not contain significant funding for the Highway 99 streetscape project.

Aguilar said since Caltrans is the lead on the project, funding for the project will come from their side.

Some funding for the project is reflected in the engineering department’s budget, but it is not much, Aguilar said.

Aguilar said they are a few months away from funding utility relocation. Toll Free.................