TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL PART 3: BUDGET WORKSHOP

The Twentynine Palms City Council had a long and varied meeting Tuesday night. Dan Stork has broken his report into three parts. In the final installment: highlights of a budget workshop…
The Twentynine Palms City Council finished its busy regular meeting with a workshop on the draft budget for 2013-2014. The Council asked Finance Director Ron Peck detailed questions on the draft budget. Here are some highlights: Of $2 million given to state in closed session vote, $500K will be coming back to city, through the county. Jay Corbin had several pointed comments on the budget. Here are four: Hoteliers think that the projected “no change” in transient occupancy tax is optimistic; the hotel business is declining. Drafted increases in building-related expenses (planning, engineering, building and safety) are unrealistic, given the low development rates. The trend of increasing employment costs and flat revenues is not sustainable. Money spent on Visitor Center and California Welcome Center is better spent on Internet presence. Other concerns were addressed by multiple council members, such as: Shuffling around of salary expenses among various payment accounts were confusing to Council. Cost of Living Adjustments in the draft budget should be removed, as former City Manager Richard Warne had recommended.