Arts, Water, Bike Paths in Budget : Ventura: Funds would go to new recycling efforts, park improvements, a cultural program and to fighting effects of the drought.

Ventura City Manager John Baker unveiled a two-year, $163-million budget Monday that reflects the new City Council’s interest in the arts, the environment and the outdoors, as well as concern about the current water crisis. The proposed budget will increase city spending by 13.4% over the next two years, said Mike Solomon, a city budget analyst. The growth rate is smaller than in previous years, Baker said, because he expects a “flattening in city revenues” due to the new council’s slow-growth policies and the overall performance of the region’s economy.

As a result of the dwindling revenue sources--and increased costs of providing water in the midst of a severe drought--Baker said he will ask the council to consider sources of long-term financing to pay for water projects.

In its current form, the budget is short nearly $9 million needed to pay for proposed construction and other projects, including a $2.5-million water well in Saticoy, $2 million in water line replacements and $975,000 for water studies.

Baker said that before the budget comes up for final approval June 11, he will propose financing these projects through certificates of participation, revenue bonds or general obligation bonds.

“If we increase rates to pay for these improvements, water would become very, very expensive,” Baker said.

Under the budget plan, the city would add 27 new positions over the next two years, including two for police officers, five for the new recycling program and environmental studies, and three for computer services.

“Our motto is ‘work smarter, not harder’ and the new computer positions will allow us to do just that without having to increase staffing levels significantly,” Solomon said. The budget also includes $150,000 to replace outdated computers citywide.

Baker said this year’s budget proposal differs from past years’ in the added costs to upgrade the city’s water system--the bulk of the $9-million shortfall. Another difference, he said, is an emphasis on promoting the arts and preserving the environment.

“If I had to pinpoint a change, it’s a shift in emphasis towards some more environmental and cultural things,” Baker said.

As examples, he cited the city’s new recycling program, $379,000 in improvements to Arroyo Verde Park, a new $80,000 cultural arts program and $100,000 for new bike paths. The budget also proposes building a $4.5-million swimming pool complex. Parks and Recreation officials are selecting a site for the aquatics facility, which would become the only publicly owned swimming pool in the city.

The budget introduced Monday will be the first developed under the three pro-environment council members who were elected last November. Their election gave the council a slow-growth majority for the first time since the early 1970s.

Freshman Councilman Gary Tuttle said he has not had time to review the proposal in depth, but was glad to see his pet project, the bikeway path, was included in the spending plan. The program would create bicycle paths in an working-class neighborhood on Ventura Avenue for the first time. The city has already built bike paths in other parts of Ventura.

“I think the Avenue deserves equal treatment, and the bike paths will have a tremendous impact on that neighborhood’s quality of life,” Tuttle said.

Councilman Todd Collart, another newcomer, said he was especially pleased with the cultural arts program, an important element of his campaign platform.

“I’m very pleased with the new program,” Collart said. “I know there are other priorities, but I hope we will continue increasing our level of funding towards the arts as long as we can afford it.”

The 1990-92 budget will be up for public discussion and adoption at the June 11 City Council meeting. Before final action, the council will hold two study sessions on May 24 and May 31 at City Hall to give council members a chance to modify the preliminary spending program. The study sessions will be open to the public.