South Pasadena : New Fee to Help Cut Deficit
Even with revenue from a new lighting and landscaping assessment district, the city is left with a projected $180,000 budget deficit.
The City Council last week unanimously approved the assessment to raise more than $800,000 for park and street median maintenance, traffic signals, tree trimming and sidewalk repair.
Mayor James C. Hodge Jr. said the remaining deficit must be made up by spending cuts, funds borrowed from reserves or an increase in the 5% utility users tax.
City officials reported receiving 3.82% valid protests and 14.42% invalid protests for a total of 18.24% of the district’s property owners against the lighting and landscaping assessment.
“If they increase the utility tax we’ll cancel it and them,” Tom Biesek, a founder of the South Pasadena Taxpayers Assn., said of three councilmen up for reelection in November.
The taxpayer group is advocating department head salary cuts and benefit cuts for city employees such as police.
A budget workshop is scheduled for Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Senior Center, 1102 Oxley St.
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