Strengthening City Finances

By Bill Little

In these difficult economic times, maintaining the financial strength of the City is undoubtedly one of the most important duties of a Council Members. I have the background and experience to do that effectively.

While Camarillo has managed to maintain current municipal service levels, there have been challenges to that effort. Beginning about three years ago, the City began to experience revenue shortfalls in the General Fund. Reductions in sales taxes, property taxes, and other revenues caused by the slowdown in the economy, coupled with a loss of State aids resulted in a shortfall of about $3 million. The City avoided any direct impact on municipal operations by re-allocating resources from capital projects to operations. Beginning this fiscal year, the City adopted a budget that cuts the shortfall in half with the intention eliminating it completely in the 2013 -2014 fiscal year. I have been informed that the budget reductions made in the current year budget have been accomplished without significantly impacting city services. I support the efforts by City Council and staff to eliminate the budget deficit as rapidly as possible without reducing current service levels.

However, I strongly believe that the City Council must not only eliminate the remaining deficit in 2013, but also take steps to insure that the city can sustain its municipal services into the immediate future. No one knows when the economy is going to significantly turn around, so plans must be developed and put into place to accommodate the economic uncertainty that exists. This will necessitate making financial decisions requiring knowledge and experience. I will bring those qualities to the City Council immediately, as a result of my many years of experience as a city manager.

This is not the time for on the job training of Council members. We need financial experience on the Council and I can provide it.