CITY BUDGETS : Budget-Balancing Deadline Sends Some Cities Scurrying

In Santa Ana, a city financial squeeze means that 90 positions are being eliminated from the city payroll. But the budget for tiny Villa Park, Orange County’s smallest city, is rising 60% this year--thanks entirely to capital spending on road improvements. And in Irvine, last year’s deficit crisis is nearly forgotten and 38 employees will be added to the city payroll.

In most cities where spending is up, it is for increases in public safety personnel or road improvements. But whether the numbers are rising or falling, the story at city halls throughout Orange County is essentially the same: it is budget-balancing time.

The new fiscal year for California’s cities began Friday, and legally they were required to have had their budgets balanced and approved by the night before. However, several Orange County cities are still working with proposed budgets, including Fullerton, which is scheduled to approve its spending plan tonight.

Following is a city-by-city look at the budget picture in each of the county’s 27 cities. Newport Beach

No New Taxes, but 19 New Employees

No new taxes. No new fees. Yet Newport Beach’s budget is increasing by 17% this year.

City Manager Robert Wynn said that most of the increase is being covered by federal and state money earmarked for $17 million in capital improvements to Coast Highway.

The new budget is $94.1 million, up from last year’s $79.8 million, Wynn said. About 35% will be spent on capital improvements, including improving Coast Highway from Jamboree Road to Bayside Street and from Newport Boulevard to the Huntington Beach city limit.

In addition to the capital expenditures, the city will hire 19 new employees this year, including nine police officers and one firefighter. That will increase to 146 the number of police officers and to 111 the number of firemen, Wynn said.