City spends more, but citizens get more

I am disappointed that some recent letters to the paper discussing

the city’s financial management practices were so badly

misrepresented. One letter, in particular, was extremely inaccurate.

First, some of the numbers in the letter were just plain wrong.

For example, San Clemente’s annual budget is not $43 million -- it is

$102 million (as of 2004). They have a population of 60,701, while we

have a population of approximately 24,500.

Some of the comparisons in the letters were also not

apple-to-apple and, thus, bad examples. For example, Dana Point and

Laguna Niguel do not have their own fire, transit, sewage collection

and treatment, animal control or lifeguard services -- all of which

are provided by our city.

Sweeping suggestions were offered in these letters with no factual

basis or detail, such as “abolish obsolete programs and functions.”

Which obsolete programs and functions should be eliminated? If you’re

going to attack, be specific.

Despite the inaccuracies and distortions, there was one claim that

is correct: Laguna Beach’s per capita expenditure is higher compared

to most other cities. But there are reasons for that:

* Laguna Beach is a full-service city, whereas other cities are

served by fire districts, sewer districts, state lifeguards, etc.

* Laguna Beach, because we are full-service, provides an unusually

high level of service. I only hear accolades about the excellent

service the residents receive.

* We must also provide services to hundreds of thousands of

visitors each week in the summer that the other cities in Orange

County do not have to serve. It is expensive to provide services to

festival attendees and beachgoers; however, we do it and we do it

well.

* The geography of Laguna creates challenges. For example, because

of our hills, there is a fire station in Top of the World for quick

access to that neighborhood and Arch Beach Heights. In a flat

community, that station would not be needed. Also, rather than having

large strands of beach like Newport or Huntington Beach, Laguna has a

series of small beach coves which greatly increases the cost of

lifeguard service and trash pick-up.

* Residents of Laguna generally want to limit growth, so the city

spends money to buy open space. (In one letter, the annual budget

includes the city annual payments to the general obligation bond,

which was used to purchase property in Laguna Canyon. Note that the

residents of Laguna Beach voted to tax themselves for this purchase

so that money must be spent only for that purpose.)

* Laguna is committed to ocean water quality -- and in fact is a

leader on many fronts. Many cities in Orange County are not and their

lack of commitment is clear in their budgets. This city has spent

quite a bit of time and resources on water diversion projects and

water education programs -- something we’re all proud of.

(By the way, while this focus is an expensive proposition, do you

realize how badly our economic development -- namely, bed and sales

tax income -- would be impacted if we neglected our ocean water

quality?)

* Laguna Beach is an older community with few subdivisions with

homeowner associations. In cities like Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and

San Clemente, many of the municipal functions are performed by

homeowner associations within gated communities (such as street and

park maintenance). Residents pay for those services through their

homeowner association assessments rather than through the use of tax

dollars that go to the city.

* Because Laguna Beach is older, many of the businesses do not

provide adequate parking (the parking requirements were

grandfathered), which forces the city to raise money for parking

lots, garages and additional tram service.

Laguna Beach local government is unique in many ways, including

understanding who and what we are -- and, accordingly, managing our

money to reflect our values.

I, for one, think this City Council, our city manager and our city

staff do an excellent job with budgeting the money we collect through

property taxes -- we only receive about 23% of the property taxes

that you pay, by the way -- bed taxes, sales taxes, parking revenues

and

fees.

Our challenges are great -- particularly in the wake of disasters

-- but I can assure you there is very little spending waste in this

city.

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider is the mayor of

Laguna Beach.