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.