SIMI REVENUE NOW DEPENDS ON SALES TAX BUILD-OUT BRINGS CHANGE IN INCOME.Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. -- City officials are taking a cautious approach as Simi Valley matures from the days of booming housing development to a more stable community with local jobs and a broad source of sales tax sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge by the retailer, who remits the tax to the government. revenues. Higher-than-expected sales tax revenues and other factors helped the city carry over a $1.8 million budget surplus from last year's budget. The $65.7 million budget for the new fiscal year, which began Saturday, is about $630,000 larger than last year. Simi Valley officials expect about a $2.3 million-a-year increase from sales taxes at the Simi Valley Town Center Simi Valley Town Center is a shopping center located in Simi Valley, California. The mall opened in 2005 with Macy's and Robinsons-May as anchor stores. The Robinsons-May store was converted into a Macy's Men and Home Store on September 9, 2006. , which opened in October, and are being careful about spending the additional money. They have used some of the Town Center revenues to fund seven police officer positions and community bus services that go to the mall. Deputy City Manager Dan Paranick said the city is in transition from a period of rapid growth, with revenues from development, to a stage of slower growth with more stable revenue sources, including the sales taxes. ``Generally the health of the city is very good,'' he said. ``But we have to be conservative to ensure the fiscal health of the city. ... It's nice to have a more stable revenue source.'' Mayor Paul Miller The name Paul Miller is shared by a number of people.
adj. 1. Practicing or marked by economy, as in the expenditure of money or the use of material resources. See Synonyms at sparing. 2. Costing little; inexpensive: a frugal lunch. , while provide a good level of service for the community. ``I think they've achieved that,'' he said. ``Simi Valley is in an enviable en·vi·a·ble adj. So desirable as to arouse envy: "the enviable English quality of being able to be mute without unrest" Henry James. financial condition, and that's the way we like it.'' City Councilwoman BarbraWilliamson also said the city's managers have done a good job getting Simi Valley through a critical transition. ``The city has had a metamorphosis metamorphosis (mĕt'əmôr`fəsĭs) [Gr.,=transformation], in zoology, term used to describe a form of development from egg to adult in which there is a series of distinct stages. ,'' she said. ``We became a city in 1969 and saw rapid growth and large developments. It's now 2006 and we are nearing build-out. There is nearly no more land for us to build on. The money for police and other services people need now has to come from sales tax revenues. ``Our mall is helping us to capture that,'' she said. ``We're keeping the tax dollars in our community, and it's really critical at this point.'' Paranick said the budget adopted June 19 includes $30,000 to boost the staff at the new Simi Valley Senior Center to address the center's increased popularity since it was expanded this spring. It includes improvements for the Police Department -- $30,000 for freezers to hold biological crime evidence, a radar trailer to check vehicle speed and $131,000 for electric stun guns stun gun, hand-held electronic device that produces a high-voltage pulse that can immobilize a person for several minutes with no permanent damage in most cases. to help the city's 125 officers subdue sub·due tr.v. sub·dued, sub·du·ing, sub·dues 1. To conquer and subjugate; vanquish. See Synonyms at defeat. 2. To quiet or bring under control by physical force or persuasion; make tractable. 3. violent suspects. The city already increased police patrols in last year's budget to hold down response time, and those patrols will continue. Other spending increases in the coming year include $95,000 for a graffiti abatement A reduction, a decrease, or a diminution. The suspension or cessation, in whole or in part, of a continuing charge, such as rent. With respect to estates, an abatement is a proportional diminution or reduction of the monetary legacies, a disposition of property by will, when officer to respond to graffiti and illegal signs. The position is temporary because officials hope the problem can be eliminated. The new budget also includes $58,000 for putting City Council meetings live on the Internet through the city's Web site and money for a consultant to help city officials improve the Web site in general. Paranick said Simi Valley had expenses paid off last year -- a $1 million upgrade to the city's computer system and $1.4 million to finish upgrading the city's radio system for police and other agencies -- allowing city officials to save money this year. Meanwhile, the Moorpark City Council adopted a $13.4 million general fund budget June 21, about $1.1 million more than last year. Increases in property and sales taxes helped lead to a $2.4 million surplus last year, officials said, adding that new retail developments in the city expected to be completed in the coming year will boost sales taxes even more and will probably result in another surplus by next June. Part of the savings from last year came as a result of budgeting about $325,000 for more police under contract with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department The Ventura County Sheriff's Department (VCSD) provides law enforcement for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, USA, as well as several cities within the county. The cities that VCSD serves are Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks. . But the positions were not filled because of staffing problems. The city plans in the coming year to boost emergency preparedness using a federal grant and enhance the city's computer system with about $100,000 in improvements. eric.leach(at)dailynews.com (805) 583-7602 |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion