$3.5-Million Budget Increase Approved by West Hollywood

The West Hollywood City Council has approved a $20.7-million budget for the coming fiscal year, a $3.5-million increase over last year’s $17.2-million budget.

The 1986 budget, approved by a unanimous vote at last week’s council session, is balanced by projected revenues expected to reach $21.6 million by the end of the year.

The budget would add at least $400,000 to the city’s reserve fund. City officials have projected that the city will have an overall reserve of more than $7.8 million by the end of the fiscal year.

Over the past month, the council has been paring down an original $22.9-million budget request. Hardest hit by the budget-cutting was the county Sheriff’s Department, which had asked for $7.7 million. Instead, the department was given $7.2 million for the year, a reduction that Sheriff’s Capt. James Cook expects will result in the elimination of five deputies.

The city’s rent control department also is facing cuts.

The council agreed to fund more social service programs this year. Last year, the city spent $1.5 million on social service items; this year, $2.1 million will be spent.

The council is still trying to decide how much money it will allocate to the city’s first annual street festival. Although the festival’s intitial funding request was $96,000, the council pared that figure to $60,000 and is considering even further reductions. The cuts have been opposed by a cross-section of city activists.

The city also has allotted $250,000 for start-up costs for developing new off-site parking and another $250,000 for land costs for the city’s fledgling affordable housing program.