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Press
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Berkeley
Passes $308 Million Balanced Budget
Berkeley adopts its two-year budget by an 8-1 vote. Budget increases funding for youth programs, homeless services, police and economic development. Berkeley, CA – The City Council
last night adopted a balanced budget for the next fiscal year by a vote of
8-1. The budget approves $308
million in overall spending for the fiscal year that begins on July 1st.
After difficult cuts were taken from 2002 through 2005, this budget
marks the second in a row that was balanced without major cuts to city
services and programs. “With the budget crisis
subsiding, we have been able to begin restoring some of the city services
and programs that make up our social safety net,” said Mayor Tom Bates.
“While we can never meet all the needs, I believe the budget
adopted on Tuesday night reflects our shared commitment to a sustainable,
livable, and just City.” The City benefited this year from
a windfall in the real estate transfer tax due to the sale of several
large commercial buildings. This
surplus was spent mostly on one-time expenditures such as capital
projects, infrastructure improvements, affordable housing, and other such
programs. A few highlights of the budget
include: ·
Increases in funding for economic development and arts programs,
including funds to make the City more competitive for state bond funding. ·
Programs and services for young people received a significant
increase, including a major boost to the summer jobs programs for at-risk
teens, including the development of a new public-private partnership to
place hundreds of teens in summer jobs next year. ·
A more than $2.1 million increase in funding for the Police
Department to allow it to fill all current vacancies. ·
Allocation of nearly $1 million to subsidize the operation of the
City’s “troubled” Housing Authority for the next two years and the
allocation of $1.5 million to the City’s Housing Trust Fund to support
the creation of affordable housing. ·
A 13% increase in funding for homeless services to expand the
City’s capacity to move people from homelessness to permanent housing
and provide more assistance to transition age youth. ·
Funding to continue the City’s groundbreaking work to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions ·
Over $23 million in funding for City infrastructure and capital
improvement projects, including roads, sewers, and parks. The overall city budget is $308
million and the general fund discretionary budget is $142 million.
The City Council will review the budget in six months to determine
if adjustments are needed. # # # |
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