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State Of The City: We're Working On It
Mayor tells crowd at annual luncheon the city is getting its financial ship in order, but it will take time
Walnut Creek Mayor Bob Simmons speaks at the annual Chamber of Commerce luncheon
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Budgets, bar fights and Broadway Plaza.
These were main subjects covered Tuesday by Walnut Creek Mayor Bob Simmons at the Chamber of Commerce's annual State of the City luncheon.
The budget was the prime topic the mayor addressed early on. Simmons noted the city faced a $5.6 million deficit in its $60 million budget in fiscal year 2009. He said that shortfall has grown to $20 million for the 2010-2012 budget cycle.
The city, he said, has instituted "significant cuts in service" as well as the layoff of 30 municipal employees to get the deficit under control.
"We will have a balanced budget in the next cycle. I'm not sure how, but we're going to get through this," said Simmons.
The deficit is expected to be $2.3 million in the 2012-2014 cycle and a budget surplus is not expected until 2019.
He added the city has $98 million identified in capital project needs, but only $35 million available in capital funding.
"We still have some challenges in front of us," said the mayor.
The mayor said a Blue Ribbon Task Force has been working on the fiscal challenges for months. Among the considerations is putting a half-cent sales tax on a future ballot, but not before spending cuts are approved.
"We first have to do some things to show the public we have put our house in order," he said.
He said city leaders have also made the construction of a downtown hotel a top priority.
"We may not be able to get a downtown hotel, but it won't be for lack of trying," said Simmons.
He added city leaders also are glad to hear Broadway Plaza's owners are planning to upgrade parts of the center that is now 60 years old.
The city is also moving forward with plans to build more housing, including the 600-unit Walnut Creek Transit Village.
Simmons also addressed the early morning fights at downtown bars, including three over the weekend that resulted in nine arrests and two serious injuries.
The mayor said civic leaders are looking at an ordinance that would give the city more control over the hours and operation of the 103 establishments in Walnut Creek that serve alcohol.
"We have to make sure we do this right," said Simmons.
The mayor did note overall crime is down significantly the past three years. Assaults have decreased from 83 in 2009 to 52 last year. Burglaries have dropped from 522 to 422 and thefts/larceny have declined from 2,155 to 1,470.
Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ken Mintz also addressed the crowd. He said the city's business community had a busy, successful year.
Among its biggest successes was the downtown ice skating rink, which had 40,000 visitors this season.
"Those 40,000 people didn't just skate," said Mintz. "They stayed and shopped and ate and helped improve our economy."
He also said the chamber has improved its website and social media.
"We're getting out the word that Walnut Creek is open for business," he said.
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
obiwan
10:05 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Mayor Simmons and the City Council may be moving forward with plans to build the 600-unit Walnut Creek BART Transit village, but does anyone other than the Chamber of Commerce and the Transit Village developer, who funneled $15,000 into the last round of City Council elections, really want it?
The City’s own Economic Development Manager, Ron Gerber, admitted to the Contra Costa Times last November that "Sales and property tax revenue may not cover the cost of services."
And isn’t traffic on Ygnacio Valley Road already bad enough without adding to the bottleneck approaching the freeway entrances?
SR
12:31 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Here's the same thing I posted for the fights story. There, found your 2.3 million shortfall and then some. Even your fellow councilmembers are calling BS on the we are poor line. It's a matter of priorities:
It is time for a dramatic shift in our thinking. Cindy Silva says there is not enough money to pay for public safety. Kish Rajan said there is plenty. It is simply a matter of choices. How much is this violence costing in the short and long term to local businesses, our image, future investments and property values? If it is simply a matter of money here are YEARLY costs AFTER ticket sales for just three areas of the Arts Department. This comes from page D-2 of the city budget available online:
Lesher Center for the Arts: $170,598.00
Center REPertory Theatre: $307,124.00
Bedford Gallery: $368,219.00
The entire Arts Department AFTER revenue is added costs approximately 3.5 million dollars PER YEAR. This does not include the substantial sums for library operating costs. Bottom line: Please stop saying we don't have the money to keep people safe!