INSIDE CITY HALL Here are a few...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are a few of the issues the council considered Tuesday:

TRANSPORTATION REPORT

The council received a final report from the Downtown and Eastside

Transportation Ad Hoc Committee. The committee was charged with

making recommendations for traffic improvements on the east side of

the city, including Newport Boulevard, East 17th Street and the

neighborhoods east of Newport Boulevard.

In November, the committee voted in favor of widening Newport

Boulevard by adding a fourth northbound lane between 17th and 19th

streets and a fourth southbound lane between 19th Street and

Broadway.

WHAT HAPPENED

The council voted to approve and file the report. It will not

provide final direction on the downtown and eastern areas until the

public review process for the environmental study of the widening of

Newport Boulevard is complete. The public review process should take

place in late spring.

WHAT WAS SAID

“I suggest a follow-up committee be set up,” committee member Tom

Egan said. “I have a feeling we barely scratched the surface.”

REVISION OF BUDGET

The council considered adjusting the budget to account for a

$1.1-million decrease in revenues to the general fund compared to

what was adopted in June. The decrease was caused by the loss of

backfill that was supposed to make up for Gov. Arnold

Schwarzenegger’s lowering of the car tax.

WHAT HAPPENED

The council unanimously approved the adjustment.