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I received my copy of the proposed 2010 – 2011 city budget on Thursday. The first item that drew my attention was the projected budget surplus. After accounting for all projected revenues and all projected expenditures the budget leaves $1,500.00 to add to the city reserves.
This equates to a budget surplus of $125.00 a month.
I do not wish to see unforeseen expenditures but in the 7 years that I have on the Council there have always been unforeseen expenditures. We either have a cost overrun, a thunderstorm or two, or perhaps a tricky legal matter arises that causes added use of the City Attorney. Whatever the event, unforeseen expenses happen, just like they happen in our own family budgets.
Further study led me to see what I think are over optimistic projections in regards to some revenue sources. If these revenue sources do not come in at the projections then we as a city could go deep into the “red” very quickly.
The selling points of this budget are that it cuts no services, further decreases some Departmental spending, and dramatically increases several new line items.
We as a city have built a respectable reserve. I remember working with Mike Swigart when he had to plan for the worst and cut positions and severed/decreased financial relationships with organizations in the city such as Knotts Sky Pre-School.
There are times that using the reserves are appropriate. But planning so close to the edge that using your reserves is inevitable is not how this city has survived for the past 20 plus years.
I look forward to the staff’s presentation in regards to this budget. I wish to hear how it is a plan to keep our spending in the “black” and not a plan to spend into the “red”.
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Can I get a copy, would like my CPA to have a look. He knows what is referred to as creative accounting and how to put it in laymen terms. He understands things way over my head, like long term pension funding and the like.
On another issue I under stand the city took tax payer dollars and sent an artist on a junket to Monterey. I understand this guy came back with the idea of imposing art on all new businesses. is this true and if so how much did it cost the hard working tax payers? What did the taxpayers receive for this council approved expenditure for a staff outing? What is the city’s definition of art? Does anyone on the council think this will promote needed new business?
Hi Mark,
I will make a copy on Monday and try to get it to you before the meeting.
I would think that a copy can also be picked up at City Hall.
As for your other questions there are line items for travel reference the Council and the Planning Commission. As for the “Arts In Public Places” matter it has yet to be passed by the Council.
I send in on average on a seriously inquisitive year, 4 Freedom of Information Act Requests to the city. There is pretty much a standing policy that when Cactus Thorns or anyone from Cactus Thorns or Dan O’Brien in particular asks for information it must be reviewed by the City Attorney. The City attorney charges about $500-600 a pop to review my requests.
So if I was to send in say Two requests per week I could and would drive the City of Twentynine Palms right into the Red, all by myself….. In a week and a half!!!
Piss poor planning…. this is a non starter.
I suggest the city take another look at their plan to hire a specialist to bring business to town. That would generally save $100,000 a year. Not much, but you have to cut somewhere and in this way no one gets hurt.
The City’s budget is much more than an accounting document, it
serves as an outline for how the City should best use its resources to benefit the citizens.
The City of Twentynine Palms has a limited pool of resources that it can utilize to perform the necessary City functions. It is with that understanding that elected officials make decisions on which items should be included in the Annual Budget.
If the elected officials can not make sound business decisions then the city will have shortfalls and future larger cuts will have to be made. And when I speak of business decisions, make no mistake the city is a business.
It is incumbent upon our council to listen to the citizens that work and live here in Twentynine Palms. The current and future council might assess the residents’ feelings about their community and its future, as well as gauge what they consider to be the most important and urgent city services.
After talking with many people withing the city I have heard the same sentiment expressed many times, this city has a loss of focus, loss of caring, and the our city’s priorities are not in order. The main part of all of this was hearing that citizens worry about city priorities, especially as they relate to the city budget, economic growth, and increasing living wage job opportunities.
The families that live here want to be able to shop here. They want a Walmart, Target, or a KMart and they want it in Twentynine Palms. They do not like driving to Yucca Valley.
Families want to be able to do things with their children here in Twentynine Palms. The Park and Rec do a fine job but they want more. They want other things, not just the same crap that has been here for years.
Listen to the voters! They are speaking and they will speak even louder come voting time.