Restaurants ask city for funding
The Newport Beach Restaurant Assn. on Tuesday asked the City Council to give it $315,000 in matching funds and continued city financial support for the Newport Beach Restaurant Week program to the tune of $95,000 as part of ongoing city budget hearings.
The City Council is expected to make a decision and hear other budget appropriations requests at its next meeting June 23.
Newport Beach plans to tighten its belt next year by slashing city department budgets by 2% and reducing spending on capital fund projects by 2%, resulting in a savings of about $5 million.
City officials expect property-tax revenue to grow by only 2% in the next budget year, or from $55.8 million to $56.9 million. Historically, property tax revenues have grown by about 6% to 8% each year, but property values have been trending downward.
The city is also budgeting conservatively for increases in sales tax revenues, or $20.2 million, compared with $19.8 million this year.
The proposed budget includes about $125 million in salaries and benefits, $60.8 million in maintenance and operations, and $30.5 million in capital improvements.
The city has $10 million budgeted for the new Sunset Ridge Park in West Newport Beach in next year’s budget. The park, which includes plans for two soccer fields, a baseball diamond and walking trails, has been in the planning stages for several years. The project is scheduled to be completed in spring 2011.
The budget also includes $6 million for design and environmental planning for a new City Hall and park, $7 million for underground utilities in Santa Ana Heights and $30,000 to replenish sand on beaches at China Cove and Balboa Island
Proposed Budget
Anticipated property-tax revenue: $56.9 million
Anticipated sales-tax revenue: $20.2 million
Cost of salaries and benefits: $125,722,910
Cost of maintenance and operations: $60,891,237
$10 million to build Sunset Ridge Park in West Newport
$100,000 for replacing old playground equipment and a new playing surface in Eastbluff Park
$2 million in funding for design and environmental planning for Marina Park on Balboa Peninsula
$6 million for design and environmental planning for a new City Hall and park
$7 million to underground utilities in Santa Ana Heights
$30,000 to replenish sand on beaches at China Cove and Balboa Island.
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