A quarter of next year’s budget earmarked for infrastructure
CITY HALL — Having admittedly neglected the needs of infrastructure over the last three years, officials here are looking to show some love — around $105 million worth.
The commitment to restoring core services and making much needed repairs and upgrades to city-owned facilities comprises almost one quarter of next year’s $444.8 million budget, signaling City Hall’s commitment to getting back to basics, said Assistant City Manager Gordon Anderson.
Known as the Capital Improvement Program, or CIP, this three-year investment in the acquisition, expansion or rehabilitation of land, buildings and other major infrastructure includes major projects such as the Civic Center Parking Structure, expansion of the city’s park system and the possible construction of a public beach club at 415 Pacific Coast Highway.
While those projects would appear the most visible, city officials point out that 78 percent of all CIP project funding will be for the maintenance and improvement of existing facilities, equipment and infrastructure — all of which includes street repair, vehicle replacement, new computer equipment, money for the arts and more.
The City Council is currently debating these expenditures and will give final approval of the budget by June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.
“This commitment speaks to the importance of making improvements and it also seems to highlight the interdependency of maintaining core services that the city has grown accustomed to,” Anderson said. “Without adequate public facilities, we don’t have the ability to provide services to the community.”
Since 2003, when the state suffered a mild recession, City Hall has tried to minimize the impact of a loss in revenue by reducing the level of maintenance and deferring the replacement of important facilities and equipment, Anderson said. This has led to less tree trimming, a reduction in street paving and the retention of vehicles that often cost more money to maintain than if City Hall were to purchase new ones.
“These are things we had to slow up because of the shortage of dollars,” Anderson said. “We’re trying to catch up.”
The budget for CIP is roughly $1 million less than what was budgeted last year, and more than $10 million less than what was alotted the year before that. In the next two years, estimates put CIP funding at levels more than $20 million lower than this year’s proposal.
This downward trend in CIP spending is a result of fewer major projects coming on-line, Anderson said. In previous years, there was the construction of the new Main Library and the Public Safety Facility, both of which were considered CIP projects and contributed to the higher levels of funding.
While all part of the three-year planning cycle, CIP projects listed are reviewed and presented to the City Council based on council priorities, community needs and the ability to reduce operating costs. Major construction projects require a review by City Hall’s Planning and Community Development department.
By bringing new projects on-line, CIP can increase operating costs for City Hall, but also save the city money by lowering ongoing operating costs through the reduction of money spent on fixing older equipment. City Hall only calculates the additional costs of bringing new facilities on-line, which are taken into consideration when developing future costs.
CIP PROJECTS ON TAP FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR: ■ Airport Park — an 8-acre recreational area at the Santa Monica Airport that will include two youth soccer fields, an off-leash dog area, and, among other amenities, two parking lots with a total of 116 parking spaces. ■ Civic Center Parking Structure — a new public parking structure located just east of the Santa Monica Courthouse, which will accommodate 880 parking spaces and include street-level leasable space for businesses. ■ Euclid Park, a.34-acre neighborhood park that will be located adjacent to Hacienda del Mar, a 13-unit residence for people with disabilities. ■ Street improvements to Second and Fourth streets, including new pedestrian lighting, landscaping and enhancements to mid-block crosswalks. ■ Street repairs in neighborhoods bound by Ocean Park and Pico boulevards to the north and south, and Lincoln Boulevard and 14th Street to the east and west — $4.9 million. ■ California Incline Reconstruction — $1.7 million. ■ Traffic signal upgrades to improve traffic flow — $3.1 million. ■ Pier restroom replacement — $805,000. ■ City Hall and Information Services Division remodel, which will create more workspace for employees — $4 million. ■ The immediate replacement of city-owned vehicles, such as fire trucks — $4.5 million. ■ Improvements to the Bayside District, including seismic retrofitting of parking structures —$13 million. ■ Funding public art — $333,900. ■ Public housing projects, several for low-income families — $15.2 million. ■ Community gardens — $263,300. ■ A new permit center to be built across from City Hall — $5 million. ■ Replacement of telephone equipment for city-owned buildings — $716,644.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 26, 2006. Read the original PDF.