The Los Altos City Council began its budgeting process with the best possible news: Revenue is forecast over expenses by $1 million for this fiscal year, 1998-1999, on its $17 million budget.
At a council study session on March 16, council members and city department heads discussed the process for the upcoming four-month budget process for fiscal years 1999-2000 and 2000-2001.
For City Manager Phil Rose, this is the first time through the budget process in Los Altos, and he was looking for "council buy-off on the process" as well as consideration of alternative service levels, he said.
Once budget data is gathered, it will be forwarded to the mayor's blue ribbon, 29-member citizen committee, "to discuss city priorities and funding," Rose said.
The forecasted budget surplus is coming from $226,000 more property tax money than expected, due to the fevered pitch of real estate transactions in the city; from community development fees and permits of $329,000 over plan; and from several city staff vacancies.
"Actually, we're somewhere around even if we were fully staffed," said Councilman King Lear. "There is no surplus if we were running the way we want to be."
Mayor Lou Becker said, "We're not staffed, and the money is there."
Some notable vacancies include the positions of finance director and city engineers.
City staff invited city commissions and committees and interested parties to submit budget requests to be considered in the planning.
Several responded including:
Los Altos Senior Center for funding a senior center director;
Arts Committee for developing an on-going maintenance program for public art;
Historical Commission for $73,300 for facility maintenance and a full-time director;
Library Commission for additional lighting for better security in the library parking lot;
Parks and Recreation Commission to develop community recreation facilities such as a gymnasium, pool, open space and athletic fields.
Outside groups, such as the Mountain View-based Community Services agency, the Los Altos-based St. Joseph the Worker Center and the Palo Alto-based YWCA of the Mid-Peninsula also requested funds.