$290.5M Modesto budget: Some good news for kids

By ADAM ASHTON
aashton@modbee.com

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A month of budget anxiety ended with little debate when the Modesto City Council unanimously passed a $290.5 million spending plan for the 2008-09 financial year.

The budget included a host of difficult choices for the council because of the city's continued declines in tax revenue.

The council cut $10 million from the city's $120 million general fund, which pays for public safety and parks, among other services. Some of those cuts hit public safety, with 39 police and fire positions going vacant.

Other reductions affect youth programs. The city will close all but four of its public pools.

But the council settled most of its priorities over the past three weeks.

It modified Mayor Jim Ridenour's original proposal to protect several popular programs, such as:

The Police Department's beat health unit, an aggressive code enforcement team, will not see any cuts.

Low-income children will continue to be able to use the city's Leisure Bucks program, which pays sports registration fees for families who can't afford them.

Fewer pools will close than the mayor originally proposed.

Councilwoman Janice Keating persuaded her colleagues to make one late change, eliminating $53,000 the Planning Division could have used to hire outside help to update Modesto's master planning document.

"I don't think it's detrimental to put that funding off," she said.

Keating wanted to spend the money on restoring water features to parks that lost their pools. She said the city shouldn't fall further behind in providing places for children to cool off in the summer.

Building a splash pad costs $71,000. The city plans to set aside the money to build one or more of them next year.

The budget maintains a roughly $9 million reserve. Ridenour wanted to protect that cushion in case the city's financial outlook worsens.

Several factors could stretch the budget, including changes in how the state allocates money because of its financial straits and Modesto's negotiations with its unions.

Some budget discussions are expected to continue over the summer, including a question of whether the city should reduce the management leave it offers some employees.

No one from the public spoke about the budget during the meeting.

The budget was the first one passed under the guidelines of Measure M, the government reform measure voters passed in February. It gave the mayor more influence over the financial plan and set up City Council pay raises.

In other business, the council approved a 5 percent increase to monthly water rates.

It was part of a plan the council adopted in 2005 to raise money for water system improvements, including a new water treatment plant. The council's 5-1 vote increases monthly residential rates to $37.23, up about $2 from this year and $13 since 2005.

Councilman Will O'Bryant voted against the hike, saying he wanted the city to provide ratepayers more information about how their fees are being spent.

"The people deserve to have a running explanation of where we are now, where we're going, how long this is going to take and what we've done, because this is taking millions and millions of dollars," O'Bryant said.

Bee staff writer Adam Ashton can be reached at aashton@modbee.com or 578-2366.