3-hour budget talk cuts about $1 million

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- If the task of balancing personal checkbooks seems

daunting, imagine the effort it would take to stabilize a

multimillion-dollar portfolio while factoring in and prioritizing public

input and community needs.

City Council members on Monday approved a $101.5-million budget after

questioning the necessity of various items, gathering public opinion and

debating among themselves.

The three-hour budget discussion showed only a small portion of the

budget balancing act and resulted in more than $1 million in cuts.

Councilwoman Libby Cowan did not endorse the reduced budget because it

cut an aggressive $185,000 energy-saving program for city traffic lights

and a $50,000 educational safety house for the Fire Department.

The 2002-03 budget presents a $7.2-million increase -- or 7.64% --

over its 2001-02 predecessor. No programs are scheduled to be cut in the

next fiscal year, which will begin July 1. While the dollar amount of

this year’s budget is higher than years past, a more conservative tone

was taken at the meeting as last-minute cuts were made wherever possible.

Ultimately, the expenses that garnered the most scrutiny remained in

the budget while the red pen was taken to other less popular items.

An item that made up only a tiny fraction of the city’s $100-million

budget garnered some criticism from audience members -- not because of

the cost, but on principle. While council members searched for every

corner to cut, they overwhelmingly approved a $1,600 raise in council

members’ annual salaries. The increase will take effect after the

November election.

“Three of us could be gone by then,” said Councilman Chris Steel,

including himself in the tally because of the pending criminal charges

against him alleging election violations.

Councilman Gary Monahan defended the increase, saying it is obvious

that a seat on the council is not a get-rich-quick scheme.

“Nobody up here does it for the money, and if they do they are

cracked,” Monahan said.

The council last received a raise four years ago. The new increase

will raise the monthly stipend by $138, bringing the annual salary from

$7,440 to $9,096.

In addition to rewarding the city leadership positions, the approved

budget calls for an additional supervisor in the Costa Mesa Police

Department. A proposed sergeant position was one of the hot debate topics

at Monday’s meeting, with some council members questioning its necessity

given the seemingly unfilled ranks on the force. It was argued that the

department did not need another position when it could not fill the ones

it had.

Costa Mesa Police Capt. Tom Warnack explained that while 10 patrol

positions are open at the department, there are at least a dozen recruits

enrolled in the police academy poised to fill those spots.

Police Chief Dave Snowden lobbied the council for the additional

position, saying his department needed more officers in a supervisory

capacity.

“We definitely need supervision,” Snowden said. “In cases like Los

Angeles [Police Department], we’ve found out what happens when you are

not minding the store.”

Another hot topic was a proposed $50,000 gift to South Coast Repertory

for the naming rights of one of its new classrooms. Residents chastised

council members for even considering the donation when other worthy items

were hitting the cutting room floor.

Resident Ernie Feeny pointed out that the city already waived $200,000

in traffic fees for the Orange County Performing Arts Center last year --

money that could have been invested in broken neighborhood streets. She

pointed out that $250,000 has been handed to South Coast Repertory in the

past year.

“Seems to me that just because we are the City of the Arts, whatever

the arts wants, the arts gets,” Feeny said. “A quarter of a million is a

big chunk of money.”

Martin Benson, South Coast’s artistic director, defended the donation,

saying the theater group participates in a number of community- and

school-based programs. Benson said $50,000 would garner 1,000 Costa

Mesa-dedicated seats at the new theater and a classroom named after the

city.

Councilwoman Karen Robinson asked Benson if the additional $50,000 was

required to get any name recognition or if the previous waiver of

$200,000 would be enough.

In the scheme of things, $250,000 is a relatively small donation,

Benson said. And while Costa Mesa would get some recognition, the amount

would depend largely on the continued generosity of the city, he said.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .