A reader sent in a link to a Desert Sun article about the city of Indio facing a $1.66 million budget shortfall that could force Indio to delay a number of projects, including park improvements and a new senior center.
Former Claremont City Manager Glenn Southard is now applying his special ministrations to Indio as the city manager there. Those of you familiar with Southardian tactics know the playbook's awfully thin and predictable.
Taking a cue from Claremont circa 1990, Indio is considering some possible remedies, the Sun reported:
Items up for discussion:
Creation of a city-wide landscape and lighting assessment district that could generate about $3.7 million annually.
Voter approval of bonds to pay for public safety buildings, parks and a library.
Asking voters to ratify a 2 percent increase to the Utility User Tax implemented by the City Council in 1992 without the vote of the people.
We're going to guess an assessment won't fly in Indio, depending on how organized the opposition is. If Indio property owners want to know how easy it is to defeat an assessment district vote, they might want to study Claremont's 2006 Parks and Pasture Assessment, which lost 44% to 56% despite being pushed the Claremont 400.
If he goes the assessment route, Southard has a few tricks up his sleeve. We'll wait to see what Southard's play is before commenting on those tricks.
Indio is not alone in its potential fiscal problems. However, unlike other communities that have played the frugal ant in trying to plan for the current economic downturn, Indio, with the exception of Councilman Mike Wilson, has apparently been happily playing the grasshopper's fiddle, the Desert Sun article indicated:
"Everybody is feeling the pain," said Councilman Mike Wilson, who is not surprised by the city's financial state.
He was the only council member who voted against adoption of the 2007/2008 fiscal year budget because of concern over sales tax and building/permit fees revenue projections.
"My very concern and comment (then) was that revenues were over exaggerated," he said.
The budget approved in June 2007 anticipated a $1.57 million increase in sales tax and now it appears as though the fiscal year will end with almost $1.8 million less than expected in sales tax.
"They made a huge jump in what they projected in the budget that didn't come to fruition," he said.
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