Councilman says there is a rhyme to his reason

A story in the June 18 edition of the Daily Pilot failed to give a

complete version of the budget approval process (“Costa Mesa adopts

$112-million budget for 2003-04”). It was not an inaccurate story,

just very incomplete. It mentioned that I tried to stop funding for

the mobile recreation and day camp.

This was true. Also true was that I wanted more funding for code

enforcement and bike patrol. But it did not report the ever-important

“why” that I went to great lengths to explain. Why did I want to cut

funding from some programs? Why did I want to increase funding for

code enforcement?

The mobile recreation program consists of a few games, a small

basketball net, a truck for transportation and staff time. It costs

us almost $90,000 a year and, in my opinion, is used relatively

little in comparison to what it costs us. We have parks and other

programs, which include recreation activities.

The next item is day camp. It includes trips to Disneyland and the

movies. It costs us about $165,000 dollars a year and takes in about

$120,000 a year. This means that your tax dollars subsidize this in

the amount of about $45,000 a year. We have other activities

available for children, but to me there is something fundamentally

wrong with our tax dollars subsidizing trips to Disneyland and the

movies.

Additionally, we could increase the fees so that the program pays

for itself. This would be a more fair use of public funds. We

currently fund 23 different programs costing more than $3 million

annually. My suggestions would have resulted in relatively small cuts

where funds are not used efficiently.

I fully support sports for kids, and we have many programs that

cover that. As a city councilman, it is my job to ensure that our

expenditures are efficient and appropriate.

Yes, I also wanted more funding for code enforcement and bike

patrol on the Westside. We have a continuing problem with vending

trucks and push cart vendors in some specific locations. These

vehicles constantly honk their horns to notify their customers of

their presence, and their customers routinely discard a great deal of

trash in residential neighborhoods. This would not be tolerated in

other parts of the city.

Additional bike patrol in specific areas would be very effective

in decreasing crime and the negative headlines that result. The whole

city should have the expectation of a clean, safe, quiet place to

live.

Another thing that was interestingly not mentioned in the article

was that another council member wanted to reduce our reserves for

economic uncertainty by $1.25 million. I could not believe my ears

when I heard this suggested.

For a moment, I thought I was in Sacramento. If ever there was a

time to not reduce our reserves, it is now. The suggestion was to use

the money to renovate and rehabilitate TeWinkle Park lake in

combination with money already set aside for filtration of the lake.

It was suggested we either use reserves or borrow it. I support

improving our infrastructure, but it should be done with existing

funds.

More net revenue at the end of the year should be focused on these

types of projects. Apparently, my desire to redirect spending by

$135,000 was more newsworthy than another council member’s attempt to

reduce our emergency reserves by $1.25 million for something that was

not an emergency.

I am committed to carefully considering our expenditures, and to

making certain that our public safety needs are met. Given the

current economic conditions, anything less would be unacceptable.

* ALLAN MANSOOR is a Costa Mesa city councilman.