Though some program funding had to be held for the next fiscal year, the Solvang City Council was pleased to receive a balanced draft budget June 8, especially while other county cities’ flounder in the financial crisis.

 

“We whittled the budget down to not use reserves, which is a goal every year but this year was particularly hard,” Finance Director Dana Waite said while giving the budget presentation.

The general fund for the City of Solvang has been balanced with a projected total $6,426,741 in revenue covering the projected $6,426,741 in expenses. The revenue from the general fund property tax has even been adjusted in anticipation of the state raid of $160,000.

The state is facing a budget shortfall of $21 billion. It is proposing to close up to $8 billion of that shortfall, in part, by borrowing property tax revenue from local governments and taking sales tax revenues from local governments.

“And just when we thought we were safe,” Waite said while showing the audience a slide with the anticipated property tax loss. It showed a cartoon figure running away with a bag of money across the state of California, while the council and audience members chuckled.

Although the city was able to balance its budget, some projects that requested funding had to be put on the back burner, such as new curtains for the Veterans Hall and employee pay increases.

Funding for the library, however, was included in the 2009-10 budget, and multiple members of Friends of the Library spoke of their gratitude to the council.

The treasurer of Friends of the Library, Carolyn Lawrence, presented the council members with book bags designed by school children as a thank you and “No quid pro quo intended.”

“We strive to support the library and provide essential services to this community,” she said. “We serve the children and everyone in this community.”

Also during the public comment period, Willi Campbell praised the council for continuing to fund many projects, even on a minimalistic budget.

“I came for the budget,” she said, “and I came to say thank you.”

The council also congratulated itself and the staff on balancing the budget, citing Waite and City Manager Brad Vidro as the “reason we are in such great financial shape,” as Mayor Jim Richardson put it. The budget will be brought back to the council in a future meeting for a vote to accept it.

 

In other council news:

After two hours of presentations and discussion, the city council unanimously voted to not have Richardson sign a letter opposing the proposed mandatory spay/neuter ordinance, to the delight of pet lovers in the audience.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is currently considering a new mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for the county in the next few months.

The supervisors put together a Spay/Neuter Ordinance Task Force to research the subject more thoroughly and present recommendations to the board in the fall.

Elements from the so-called Calgary model may be used. That system mandates dog licensing and uses money from licensing fees for animal services. The Calgary model is self sufficient, though whether or not it could work in Santa Barbara County remains to be researched.

If the county adopts a plan similar to the Calgary model, it may have to hire additional staff members. The task force, however, is still conducting its study and no formal response to the ordinance has yet been crafted.

During the last meeting of the mayors and city managers, the group decided to draft a letter opposing the ordinance, saying following a Calgary model would add unneeded expenses during the financial crisis. Once the letter was drafted, however, Richardson did not like the language and made his signature an agenda item for the June 8 council meeting.

Richardson requested the item to be discussed first, as there were about 20 people in the audience who specifically wanted to hear about or speak to the topic.

Richardson gave a slide show presentation about the Calgary model, saying he did, in fact like it and believed it would be successful in the county.

Multiple pet owners from the public gave their two cents on the matter, agreeing that there is a rising problem with animal overpopulation in the county, and whether they liked the Calgary model or thought mandated spay/neutering laws would be better, everyone also agreed no action should be taken until the task force is done with its study.

“I urge you not to sign the letter, let the task force come out with its final recommendation,” said Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals member Dianne Howe during the public comment.

Councilmember Joannie Jamieson made a motion to not sign the letter, which was seconded by councilmember Ed Skytt.

“I agree with everybody speaking tonight. … I feel if a letter were to go out right now, it would definitely be putting the cart before the horse,” Skytt said.

The motion passed unanimously.

Animal activist Hazel Mortensen said she was “delighted” by the council’s decision, and while she hopes a Calgary-type plan will eventually be adopted, she said she wants steps to be taken to make sure the county’s animal problem never gets to a level similar to Los Angeles County.

“We need to face up to things,” she said. “If this keeps up where we have no control on the breeding, then our shelters could end up like that, where Chihuahuas end up with pit bulls (in the same cage) and you know who’s going to win that fight.”

Reach Lauren Crecelius at lcrecelius@syvjournal.com.