Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/2015-16-budget/)
The planned renovation of the tennis center was pulled from the budget in 2013 after it sparked outrage among Latino activists and Mayor Tom Tait. Now it’s back and with a higher price tag.
Council members choose to close a $5.3 million budget deficit by raiding reserve accounts, but indicate future deficits will have to be eliminated by cutting staff and/or raising taxes.
While leaving most of the proposed budget intact, council members spent most of Tuesday’s public meeting haggling over $300,000 in optional budget requests.
Thanks to a boost in revenue, the 2015-16 budget includes increased spending on police and other services. While most council members are expressing their pleasure with the budget, Mayor Tom Tait is warning of structural weaknesses.
Officials had to once again draw from reserves in the current year to fill a $5.3 million budget hole and they are projecting a shortfall of just over $6 million for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
The 2015-16 spending plan includes the biggest revenue and spending increases since the Great Recession.