CHULA VISTA PREVIEWS 2022-23 SPENDING PLAN

The Chula Vista City Council last week previewed a proposed $249 million general fund budget to pay for its day-to-day operations in fiscal 2022-23, which will take effect in July.

Preliminary figures show the city will spend about $31 million more than its current expenses, which the City Council approved in May at $218 million. The budget is expected to be balanced, however, as the city also plans to raise an equal amount in revenues.

Its single-largest expense is personnel costs, which are expected to increase by $4.7 million over the current year for a total of $103 million, according to the proposed budget. Most of the increased spending under personnel costs is budgeted for salary raises. The city plans to pay $5.3 million more for wages. Health insurance, pension costs, the city’s liability insurance and utility costs also boosted its expenses.

The city also projects having a total of $3 million, or $1.3 million more than the current year, in savings tied directly to job vacancies, said Ed Prendell, budget manager of the city’s finance department.

“One of the things that we’re experiencing like most employers are, is that we’re finding it difficult to fill vacant positions. For fiscal year (2023), we anticipate that that’s going to be a challenge,” said Prendell.

Though spending is forecasted to hike, so are the city’s earnings.

Most of the revenue for the proposed $249 million is expected to come from Measures A and P sales taxes, which are anticipated to each bring about $26 million, or a combined $6 million more over the current budget.

Measure P, which voters passed in 2016, is the halfcent sales tax for infrastructure, and Measure A, approved by voters in 2018, is the half-cent sales tax to support public safety staffing.

Chula Vista’s property taxes — its largest source of revenue — is expected to bring in about $1.4 million more, for a total of $41 million. Its second-largest stream of income, sales tax, is anticipated to raise $44 million, or an increase of $4 million.

While the revenue projections are based on assumptions, “we are very conservative in our approach,” said Prendell.

“We believe that property tax is going to continue to grow,” he said, adding that sales tax increases have primarily been driven by online sales and he credits that pattern as “one of the benefits of the pandemic.”

Other revenue streams include a $1.6 million increase in franchise fee revenues and $13 million in transfers directly from federal stimulus funding, according to the proposed budget.

The city is expected to provide a more thorough look at the proposed budget at a council meeting on May 10. The City Council will consider adopting it on May 24.

tammy.murga@sduniontribune.com

City councils

Chula Vista, 5 p.m. Tuesday

School boards

San Diego Unified School District,

South Bay Union School District (Imperial Beach),

5 p.m. Succulent plant swap at farmers market

The Otay Ranch branch of the Chula Vista library hosts a Succulent Swap event from 5-6 p.m. Tuesday at the Otay Ranch Town Center’s farmers market, 2015 Birch Road. Bring a plant and take a plant to grow your collection. Call (619) 397-5740.

Book sale coming to Bonita library

The Friends of the Bonitasunnyside Library will be holding their annual book sale from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Books of all genres will be available for 50 cents each or less. Also, this is the only time that all children’s books will go on sale. The children’s books are an especially good resource for elementary school educators. The sale takes place at 4375 Bonita Road, next to the city of Chula Vista golf course.

Imperial Beach holding garage sales

The Imperial Beach Citywide Garage Sale is scheduled from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. A map of garage sale locations will be available to the public on the city’s website

Cities celebrate Día de los Niños

Imperial Beach celebrates Día de los Niños (Day of the Child) from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Park, 1075 8th St., with free activities including music, bubble fun, a DJ, hula hoops, face painting, henna and more. Enjoy food trucks, see a fire truck up close, and take part in giveaways. Call (619) 628-2323. Chula Vista’s libraries host several events to mark the day. Bilingual story time (Spanish/english), crafts and fun are set for 11 a.m. Monday at the Civic Center Branch Library, 365 F St. At 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, a special bilingual (Tagalog/english) celebration of Día del Niño with stories, songs, games and crafts will be held at the Otay Ranch Branch Library, 2015 Birch Road, Suite 409. And from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Orange Park, 341 Orange Ave. (next to the South Branch Library), local author Beatrice Zamora will read her book, “Am I Blue or Am I Green?/azul o verde. ¿Cuál soy yo?” Enjoy free crafts, music and games. Visit www.chulavistalibrary.com or call (619) 397-5740.

Annual Shakespeare festival Saturday Write Out Loud and The San Diego Shakespeare Society present the 17th annual Student Shakespeare Festival

starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at San Diego Heritage Park, 2454 Heritage Park Row, Old Town. Students from grades K-12 throughout the county will present scenes and monologues from Shakespeare’s plays. The free event starts with a parade led by “Shakespeare” himself, followed by participating students. Visit https://writeoutloudsd.com/shakesfest.

Bonita Optimists hold bike rodeo for kids

The Bonita Optimists Club invite the community to a Kids Bike Safety Rodeo from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Bonita Valley Community Church, 4744 Bonita Road. Local law enforcement representatives and first responders will teach children in grades K-6 about the rules of the road and other safety measures.

Bring bicycle and helmet; free bike and helmet inspections. Activities for non-riders, too. Food for sale from El Tigre Catering Services. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children must already know how to ride a bike, or the bike must have training wheels. A release of liability must be signed before participating. Contact dinopolselli@yahoo.com.

National City hosts park cleanup

Today is the deadline for National City residents to register their households at www.joinnatcity.com, using Activity 5302, for Community Service Month 2022. Log your cleanup activities (virtual and in-person) and submit your

photos through Friday at www.nationalcityca.gov/ Csmonth. The activities will culminate in an Earth Day celebration from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Kimball Park with a park cleanup, children’s fun and a free lunch. Call (619) 336-4290 or email communityservices@nationalcityca.gov.

Chula Vista, Urban Corps mark Arbor Day

Urban Corps of San Diego County and the city of Chula Vista team up to plant trees for an Arbor Day celebration starting at 9 a.m. Friday at All Season Park, 1825 Magdalena Ave., Chula Vista. Volunteers/ residents can then join in tree planting at 9:45 a.m. near 913 and 915 Buckaroo Lane in Bonita.

This free event will give residents an opportunity to plant and learn about tree care and maintenance while helping to build the urban forest. Bring work gloves. Children are encouraged to participate. Funding for the tree planting is from a $5,000 California Releaf grant in partnership with CALFIRE, SDG&E and the U.S. Forest Service. Urban Corps is San Diego County’s certified conservation corps, providing 18- to 26-year-olds with paid work experience in the field of conservation and a second chance for a high school diploma. Sign up to volunteer by emailing Sam Oludunfe at soludunfe@chulavistaca.gov. Visit www.urbancorpssd.org.

Send items to fyi.south@sduniontribune.com at least two weeks before events are to take place.