By Rico Dizon
The La Palma City Council approved budget of $24.2 million for Fiscal Year 2014-15 in a 3-2 vote during the council’s regular meeting this past week.
Attempting to fulfill the goals it laid down during the 2014 budget cycle, both the city council and city staff members developed a plan for a balance budget without compromising the quality of life of residents.
At the same time, the development of the fiscal year budget saw directions from the city’s Sustainable Financial Plan that kept to the minimum its total transfer from the General Fund Reserves the amounts of $400,000 in COR projects and $200,000 in one-time transactions translating to only 6.4% of the $9.7 million in General Fund Revenues.
“To achieve a balance budget, we were able to reduce expenditures to just $9.6 million,” said City Manager Ellen Volmert when contacted by Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper after the meeting.
“We painstakingly instituted reforms and re-organizations in the Administration Services, Community Services and the Police Departments. We implemented three-day a week furloughs for six employees in management level,” Volmert said.
She also told HMG-CN that the La Palma Police Department represents a 54% of the total expenditures. “That’s why we need to reduce the full time equivalent (FTE) count in the Police Department from 29 to 27 and utilizing a portion of the General Fund Reserve for said positions,” explained Volmert.
“Hopefully, these stringent measures will only be temporary until the end of the first half of the current fiscal year,” said Volmert. “By next year, we expect a surge in revenues with Tesoro’s marketing office and a couple of new restaurants including McDonalds in full operations.”
On revenue sources, Volmert revealed that the traditional top contributor remains to be the Property Tax with 35%, followed by the Sales Tax at 27% and supported by the Utility User’s Tax. As regard the economic recovery aspect, the Staff recommended a diversified retail tax mix and upcoming opportunities in advertising and lease of properties.
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La Palma needs new business, espec. along the freeway, to pull in traffic. Rossmoor Shops has done a great job re-inventing the mall. La Palma Town Center needs to be updated,, like Rossmoor Shops. La Palma is loosing to much money, by not attracting 91 Freeway Buyers:
http://shopsatrossmoor.com/
• Ikea Store
• Lawyrs Rest.
• Beni Hanna Rest.
• Lowes.
• RV Outlet along the freeway frontage.
• Solar Manufacturer and outlet sales.
• In n Out Burger near Freeway.
• Whole Foods Grocery.
• Gelsons Grocery.
• Starbucks.
• Soup Plantation Restaurant.
• Memorial Hospital Urgent Care Center and labs.
• New exercise Gym Center.
• Fry’s Electronics.
• Solar Cycling Depots throughout the city, to be in alignment w/ OCTransit.
• Landscape Nursery.
• Utilize some waste land for over night RV Parking, to attract Knotts users to camp in adj. La Palma & spend vacation money.
• Casino built in to the LP Towne Center.
LP Police is costing the city 53% of budget, when LP could merge with the surrounding cities for police & or re-direct some of the administration w/ these cities.
1. Buena Park Polic
2. Cypress Police
3. Cerritos Sheriffs
4. Los Alamitos Police
https://www.loscerritosnews.net/2014/06/27/24-2-million-budget-for-city-of-la-palma-approved/
Look at the new Wal-Mart Grocery, it is successful and magnet for grocery shoppers from many surrounding cities. La Palma needs more regional attractions.
LP Counsel needs to get the city planners out in to the commercial fields, to make deals with business, to start up businesses in La Palma. Planner need to be more proactive, as La Palma is small in Diameter, and is a great city to live in. City location is great, it is in the heart of LA/OC Commuters.
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La Palma needs new business, espec. Along the freeway, to pull traffic. Rossmoor Shops has done a great job re-inventing the mall. La Palma Town Center needs to be updated. La Palma is loosing too much money, by not attracting 91 Freeway Buyers:
http://shopsatrossmoor.com/
La Palma Planning staffers need to go out and sell La Palma. Staffers need to build up the business sector of the city. Counsel -Staffers need to invest now, for tomorrow’s La Palma tax base.
• Ikea Store
• Lawry’s Rest.
• Beni Hanna Rest.
• Lowes.
• RV Outlet along the freeway frontage.
• Solar Manufacturer and outlet sales.
• In n Out Burger near Freeway.
• Whole Foods Grocery.
• Gilson’s Grocery.
• Starbucks.
• Soup Plantation Restaurant.
• Memorial Hospital Urgent Care Center and labs.
• New exercise Gym Center.
• Fry’s Electronics.
• Solar Cycling Depots throughout the city, to be in alignment w/ OCTransit.
• Landscape Nursery.
• Casino built in to the LP Towne Center.
• Utilize some waste land for over night RV Parking, to attract Knott’s users to camp in adj. La Palma & spend vacation money.
Look at the new LP Wal-Mart Grocery, it is successful and magnet for grocery shoppers form many surrounding cities. La Palma needs more regional attractions.
LP Police is costing the city 53% of budget, when LP could merge with the surrounding cities for police & or re-direct some of the administration w/ these cities.
1. Buena Park Police
2. Cypress Police
3. Cerritos Sheriffs
4. Los Alamitos Police
Bring back buses Connections, from 70’s-80’s:
• San Diego Amtrak
• To Disneyland.
• To Beach Communities
https://www.loscerritosnews.net/2014/06/27/24-2-million-budget-for-city-of-la-palma-approved/
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