Budget Deficit Threatens Holiday Events, Parks

MOORPARK —  Striving to make up a $606,000 budget shortfall, city officials are looking at everything from closing parks to cutting feel-good holiday programs.

Moorpark voters last year turned down a measure that would have allowed the city to continue collecting taxes to maintain the city’s 14 parks.

Failure of the measure means that the city will have a $606,000 shortfall in the fiscal year that starts July 1. This month, City Council members began examining possible budget cuts in preparation for adoption of a new budget in May or June. City Manager Steve Kueny, Mayor Patrick Hunter and Councilman John Wozniak drew up the list.

The suggested cuts, even if all are adopted, would save the city only about $195,000. Although an additional $200,000 might be saved by shifting money around, an equal sum would remain to be made up.

Closing that gap may be all the harder because council members are reluctant to accept some of the cuts.

“As you go down the list, everyone would prefer to take everything off and that’s not realistic,” Hunter said. “Certain council members are just going to have certain programs and amenities retained and that’s just human nature.”

Councilwoman Debbie Teasley, for example, wants to keep the $5,000 budgeted to advertise in the Chamber of Commerce directory.

Wozniak and others have said they want to continue the July 3 fireworks, which cost $11,000.

And Councilman Chris Evans has said he would prefer to continue spending $10,000 toward Project PRIDE, intended to build students’ self-esteem.

One cut that has angered some residents is the suggestion that the city close Country Trail, Monte Vista and Virginia Colony parks.

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Virginia Colony resident Tony Simen said he is angry that the city would consider keeping a fireworks program that lasts for 30 minutes at a cost about equal to that of keeping Virginia Colony Park open for a year.

“It may appear that some council members would rather burn city funds than provide a safe place for kids to play,” said Simen, who voted against the park’s measure saying the city could find places in its budget to trim.

After hearing the complaints, council members say they will consider a partnership with the school district to maintain the park. But Simen argues it is a city park that should be maintained by the city without residents having to depend on the largess of the school district.

But Evans said the city should be looking even more closely at cuts in the parks than it currently is.

“It was my understanding that the voters said no to a parks maintenance assessment district so I understand we have to trim $600,000 from the budget,” Evans said. “The vast majority should come from the parks.”

The DARE program, an anti-drug and alcohol program conducted by police officers in the schools, was originally considered for cuts. But council members said it’s likely they would take that item off the list after Moorpark Unified School District officials agreed to pick up some of the city’s share.

Prominently featured on the list of possible cuts are holiday celebrations.

Cutting the city’s Halloween party for teens could save $1,525. The Easter egg hunt costs $1,825 and the Christmas tree lighting party at the City Hall costs $1,695.

The city also will consider eliminating the position of assistant to the city manager, vacant since Mary Lindley moved to the position of director of community services.

Council members said they do not plan to touch police services, which account for about 60% of the city’s $5.7-million general fund.

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Although tax increases are cited by the city manager as a possible means for closing the budget gap, the mayor said those mentioned are out of the question.

In a memo to the council, Kueny listed a business license tax and general parcel tax as possibilities.

“It will not be a subject of consideration, because I don’t believe it’s necessary,” Hunter said.

A number of meetings are expected on the budget issue the next few months, but the council members have yet to set any dates.