Costa Mesa budget sees growth from last year

The Costa Mesa City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the city’s budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

City officials say the preliminary $147.8-million budget is balanced and avoids tapping into reserve funding. It also represents a 5.7% growth, or nearly $8 million, increase from last year’s budget of $139.9 million.

As it has in recent years since the recession, City Hall is predicting continued increases in various revenue sources, including sales and property taxes.

A host of recommended capital improvement projects amount to about $22 million, city officials said, which is about $3 million more than last year.

Significant projects include $1.67 million toward building a replacement fire station on Royal Palm Drive, built in 1961. The total cost of the project, though, is unknown.

City officials also wish to pump $2.5 million into building two artificial turf fields at the Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex, which would allow more of complex to be used year round.

An additional $4 million is being recommended toward development at Lions Park, namely building a new central library there or repurposing the Neighborhood Community Center into a library. On Thursday, a city consultant pegged construction costs for a brand-new library at about $34 million and repurposing the community center into a library at $29 million.

Tuesday’s special meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers, 77 Fair Drive.