CITY BUDGETS : Budget-Balancing Deadline Sends Some Cities Scurrying

In Santa Ana, a city financial squeeze means that 90 positions are being eliminated from the city payroll. But the budget for tiny Villa Park, Orange County’s smallest city, is rising 60% this year--thanks entirely to capital spending on road improvements. And in Irvine, last year’s deficit crisis is nearly forgotten and 38 employees will be added to the city payroll.

In most cities where spending is up, it is for increases in public safety personnel or road improvements. But whether the numbers are rising or falling, the story at city halls throughout Orange County is essentially the same: it is budget-balancing time.

The new fiscal year for California’s cities began Friday, and legally they were required to have had their budgets balanced and approved by the night before. However, several Orange County cities are still working with proposed budgets, including Fullerton, which is scheduled to approve its spending plan tonight.

Following is a city-by-city look at the budget picture in each of the county’s 27 cities. Fountain Valley

Fee Increases to Cover Additional Services

Fees for a variety of services will be going up this year to help pay for a 10% budget increase in Fountain Valley, City Manager Judy L. Kelsey said.

The budget for the new fiscal year beginning July 1 is $36.6 million, Kelsey said. The spending jump will be partly covered by an expected 5.5% increase in general revenue and increases in fees for recreation, building permits and rentals of city facilities.

“Major increases in service levels” will occur within the building and police departments, Kelsey said. For example, she said, the city will hire a planning and building technician, as well as two police officers and one civilian crime prevention officer during the new fiscal year.

In addition to those general fund expenditures, the city is increasing its capital spending by $500,000 to cover projects that were not finished last year, Kelsey said.