CITY ROUNDUP:

Several state lawmakers have turned down a raise worth about $3,000 because of California’s looming deficit, but Assemblyman Jim Silva won’t be among them.

Silva noted the independent California Citizens Compensation Commission, which was approved by voters in 1990 to take controversy out of the pay raises, gave the lawmakers the cost-of-living bump. But next year the state’s girding for a possible $10-billion debt and some area Assembly members like Costa Mesa’s Van Tran decided to donate their pay hike to charity.

“I know that when I pay my bills they don’t say, ‘Well, you took a pay cut so we won’t increase your costs for food or insurance,’ ” Silva said. “I have to pay my bills and I do. I’ve always lived on my salary.”

Silva argued that the price of everything else is going up and the pay increase reflects that.

“Fuel prices made everything else go up,” he said.

State Sen. Tom Harman did not return several messages for comment.

Donate gifts to help out the elderly and disabled

Those looking to make the holidays a little happier for the elderly and disabled can bring gifts to help out clients of Orange County Social Services and the Orange County Health Care Agency. In Huntington Beach, the city’s Senior Services department is collecting these gifts. Bring new, unwrapped items such as clothing, blankets, heaters or fans, microwaves, cordless phones, cotton socks, twin- or full-sheet sets and pillows, towels, Ensure or Boost nutritional supplements, or gift certificates for drug or grocery stores to Huntington Beach Seniors’ Outreach Center, 1718 Orange Ave. They can also be mailed to Senior Santa & Friends, P.O. Box 22006, Santa Ana, CA 92702-2006. For more information, call Michelle Yerke at (714) 374-1521.

H.B. trades trinkets with sister city in Australia

It was a night of cultural exchange at the City Council chambers Monday, as a delegation from Huntington Beach’s sister city Waitekere, New Zealand, exchanged words and gifts. In an out-of- the-ordinary beginning for a council meeting, a traditional Maori blessing served as the invocation.

Incoming Mayor Debbie Cook presented the New Zealanders with a collection of nature paintings from a local artist, while the delegation from down under handed off a traditional Maori carving of a sea deity.

New Zealand Mayor Bob Harvey had only good words to say of his city’s relationship with Huntington Beach and his city’s participation in last weekend’s “Taste of Huntington Beach” festival.

“The partnership with Huntington Beach is just perfect,” he said. “This relationship is the kind that’s made in heaven.”

Construction crews to move on to Adams Avenue

Reconstruction work on Goldenwest Street and Bolsa Chica Avenue has finished, according to city officials. Now that workers have completed the job, they will move on to work on Adams Avenue between Newland Street and Magnolia Street, as well as Newland Street between Yorktown Avenue and Atlanta Avenue. If weather allows, workers will grind and replace pavement along these areas.