IRVINE : Council to Review City Budget Tonight

The City Council tonight will have its first official chance to review and comment on the city’s proposed $63.3-million budget, and if no major changes are sought, members could vote on it later this month.

The 1993-94 fiscal year budget, which balances the city’s books without increasing taxes or cutting services, has met with little opposition since City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. released it a month ago.

“We were pretty pleased with what Paul put together. He did a good job,” said Hank Adler, a city finance commissioner and critic of previous budgets.

At tonight’s meeting, the City Council will consider staff budget recommendations as well as suggestions from city commissions that have already reviewed the budget proposal, said Rick Paikoff, manager of the budget.

Some of the most significant recommendations have come from the Finance Commission, which asked the council to fill four Police Department positions that are slated for elimination under the budget plan.

The positions are for a sergeant, an officer and two assistants. If the jobs are spared, Police Department staffing would be brought back up to 1992-93 levels.

Adler said the commission is seeking the changes in an effort to keep the Police Department at full strength.

“In the Finance Commission’s view, this is not a good time to reduce the number of police officers,” Alder said. “These are basics. The Police Department is apparently doing a terrific job. The size of our community is not reduced. . . . Why reduce the (number) of police officers?”

The commission estimated that retaining the police jobs would cost $250,000 to $350,000. It suggested making up for the extra spending by cutting the same amount from the Community Services and Public Works departments.

The four positions are among 33 that are slated for elimination under the proposed budget. Because 28 of the positions are now vacant, only five full-time employees face layoffs. Of the five, two are managers in the Cultural Affairs and Public Works departments.

The layoffs were necessary to offset a $3.5-million shortfall, caused in part by cuts in state funding. The state is expected to reduce funding to Irvine by $600,000 to $1.2 million this year.