Laserfiche WebLink
• Address minor deferred maintenance projects in all parks; and <br />• Ensure the City's long -term financial stability. <br />As a result of the global financial crisis and its impact on local and state resources, ensuring the <br />City's long -term financial stability has become even more important. The proposed FY 2010- <br />2011 budget has been developed to move Santa Ana closer to such stability, while maintaining <br />core programs and services to the extent possible. <br />Economic Outlook <br />The economic crisis at all levels of our country is being felt in many areas, such as depressed <br />retail sales, declining property values, and increased unemployment —and Santa Ana is feeling <br />these impacts as a community. Median home prices have fallen over 40 percent, their lowest <br />since 2 003. It is estimated that the declining property values will now spill over into the <br />commercial sector. A recent report from the State of California Employment Development <br />Department (EDD) puts the preliminary April 2010 unemployment rate in Santa Ana at 14.8 %, <br />the second highest in Orange County. These economic indicators mean Santa Ana residents <br />have less disposable income due to job losses and decreased home values. <br />Consequently, discretionary spending is down, which has a major impact on both the <br />businesses in our community and the revenues we receive as a City. Since revenue high's in <br />2006 -07, the City's sales tax revenue has experienced a 27 percent (over $12 million) decline <br />and is expected to flatten -out during fiscal year 2010 -11. Major declines within auto sales, <br />business -to- business and construction sectors have contributed heavily to the City's overall <br />sales tax declines. Property tax revenues will continue to decline due to a high number of <br />assessment appeals combined with depressed housing prices associated with foreclosures <br />The State of California continues to have its own budgetary challenges, which potentially puts <br />the City's revenues at risk. In its May Budget Revise, the State's deficit was estimated at $19.1 <br />billion ($7.7 for the current year, $10.2 billion for the coming year with a reserve of $1.2 <br />billion). As part of the current state budget, the State decided to raid $2.05 billion in local <br />redevelopment funds. Although a challenge of the transfer was made to the Sacramento <br />Superior Court, on May 4 the California Redevelopment Association request for a stay was <br />denied. As a result, the City of Santa Ana was obligated to pay the County Supplemental <br />Educational Revenue Augmentation fund $17.8 million by May 10 with an additional $3.4 <br />million scheduled during next fiscal year. In March, the Governor signed the Gas Tax Swap. In <br />effect the legislation eliminated the protection established under Proposition 42 by repealing <br />the sales tax on gasoline and increasing the excise tax instead. The current plan which calls for a <br />deferral o f I ocal cities allocations jeopardizes the City's ability to meet its continued debt <br />obligations on the Residential Street Repair Program without impacting other existing capital <br />projects. Staff is currently working with its lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs, to introduce <br />language that will exempt the City in participating in the deferral program. <br />-2- <br />