We should be one month into our budget process for the next fiscal year. The agenda for these meetings have not been set as of April 14, 2009. Due to Sales Tax Revenue being way down, along with permit, engineering, water connections, sewer connections, refuse collection, property tax projections, foreclosures causing loss of utility revenues and the list goes on.  We must budget for additional cuts for next year of personnel and non-personnel line items. City provided services for next year will slow down or in some cases be eliminated.

The “two” key words the Mayor and I heard in Washington, DC, as we travelled to present our list of fiscal year 2010 budget requests to our area Senators and Congressman along with information provided by the National League of Cities, were “Transparency and Accountability”. These two words are showing up a lot on TV talk shows, press conferences and in the requirements each city, county, state or federal agencies must adhere to qualify for funding and to not have the funding taken away.

Can the government remove funding?

On May 10, 2009, we must mail a check to the State of California, who is taking away some of our funding granted to the City. We could say no way, then, we lose all eligibility for future funding. We have joined a lawsuit filed by the City of Moreno Valley against the State of California to raid our funds.

Even if we do prevail, we must send off the check on May 10, 2009, then, hope the courts will force the state to return these funds to the cities they raided.