Long Beach City Council unanimously approved Tuesday the $391 million general fund budget, along with some council-directed changes and new proposals from the Budget Oversight Committee.
The oversight committee voted 2-1 to approve $12.5 million in recommendations to the Fiscal Year 2014 budget, including residential street and sidewalk restorations, artificial turf soccer fields at three parks, including 5th District’s El Dorado Park and 1st District’s Seaside Park, and $400,000 into library refurbishments.
The FY14 budget takes effect Oct. 1.
Structural restorations of public safety and park services was added to City Manager Patrick West’s August budget plan and most district budget trades were also granted in the final vote.
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The approved budget will also bring various improvements to the Long Beach Fire Department’s resources most notably the restoration of Fire Engine 8 in Belmont Shore and Rescue 12 in North Long Beach. The Belmont Shore fire engine was cut from the budget and out of commission Jan. 2 due to fiscal deficiencies. A grand opening is planned for Rescue 12 later this month.
Other projects funded with the budget include $5.6 million to police and fire recruit academies, $3 million to restore the Houghton Park Community Center and $1.6 million to the new North Branch Library for books, furniture and equipment.
The budgets for the Port of Long Beach, Long Beach Water Department, and Long Beach Housing Development Company were also approved on some conditions. The council instituted a $40,000 limit on each of the five Harbor Commissioners’ travel expenses and also recommended that LBWD raise rates by 4% next fiscal year.
A $3.5 million surplus, primarily garnered from discontinued redevelopment agencies, has been deposited to ease future deficits.
According to Budget Manager Dennis Strachota, the additional $4.1 million in surplus funds that was announced last week was allocated into infrastructure funds, bumping it from $45 million to just over $49 million.
The FY14 budget was the first in five years to include a surplus; a stark contrast to last year’s $17.2 million deficit.
To read the full budget, visit longbeach.gov/finance/budget/documents
Eds. note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the Harbor Commissioners’ travel expenses were reduced by $349,000. Click here to read our policies covering city council.
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