City Council To Examine 2012-14 Budget

City councilmembers will discuss the city of Newark’s 2012-14 biennial budget and revenues and expenditures of the current budget at a special workshop tonight.

The workshop will begin at 5:30 p.m. in City Council chambers on the sixth floor of City Hall, 37101 Newark Blvd.

Newark’s 2010-11 operational budget totals $33 million – about 12 percent less than the adopted budget of 2009-10. This year’s operational budget was estimated at $34 million, according to previous reports.

Service restorations were made possible in recent months due in part to Measure U, a 3.5 percent utility users tax approved by voters in November 2010. It's expected to generate an estimated $2.3 million annually for five years.

In May, council members voted for the Measure U funds to be allocated toward numerous services from public safety to parks landscaping and street maintenance to rebuilding the City’s Fiscal Uncertainty Fund. Click here for a full breakdown of how Measure U funds were allocated. 

Since 2008, Newark has made approximately $8 million in budget cuts.

The special workshop will precede the council’s regular meeting that begins at 7:30 p.m.

Among the other topics to be discussed in that meeting are:

• A public hearing will be held to consider a six-month review of a conditional use permit and planned unit development for an existing wireless telecommunications facility located at Newark Junior High School. City staff is recommending the six-month review be approved.
• An introduction to an ordinance that would clarify that the city of Newark’s tennis courts only be used for tennis play and that other activities are prohibited at all times will be presented.
• On its consent agenda, the council will vote on whether to approve an amendment to its 2010-12 biennial budget and capital improvement plan for 2011-12 that increases the projected Utility Users Tax and projected sales tax revenues, transfers funding for anticipated workers compensation needs, and increases budgeted expenditures for police overtime, 2011 election costs and Second Chance support.
• The council will hear updates about repairs made to Evergreen Oil Refinery’s liquid hydrogen system at the refinery located on Smith Street and an update to the status of repairs to its Train 2 section that was damaged in a March 2011 fire.  
• Council will consider whether to finalize a one-year contract extension with Waste Management for solid waste collection and recycling services. Waste Management’s offer included a rate increase of approximately 24 percent that will become effective June 1. This means a typical 35-gallon residential service will increase from $21.72 per month to $26.93 per month. An average commercial 3-yard bin will increase from $225.32 per month to $279.40 per month. About 70 percent of Newark residents use 35 gallon bins.

For the full agenda for tonight’s council meeting, click here or see the attached PDF.