Merced’s city budget increasing. Is the local economy improving?
The Merced City Council got a look on Monday at a $218.4 million preliminary budget for the coming fiscal year, which would add more than two dozen city jobs and includes a study on noise-making trains.
The preliminary budget would be about 9 percent larger than last fiscal year’s $200 million spending plan. The budget remains below pre-recession spending plans. The fiscal year beginning in 2006 had a $280 million plan, according to records.
Most of the new employee positions would be in the public works department, according to city officials.
“Residents see that our city is heading in the right direction and this budget helps move us there,” Mayor Mike Murphy said in a statement. “Our budget includes more for police and fire, more for our parks, more for our youth and more for improving our city services.”
The budget includes $60,000 for a “quiet zone study,” a reaction to residents who have complained about loud train horns. The budget also plans for the addition of two police officers, a lieutenant, a fire marshal and more training for firefighters, according to city leaders.
The spending plan proposes filling a position for a director of parks and recreation, which the city has not had since 2011. Youth programming would get a boost with $20,000 proposed for the Boys and Girls Club’s Saturday program and $8,500 for an arts program at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center.
“We are in some good times,” City Manager Steve Carrigan said in a statement. “We have a booming downtown (and) UC Merced is expanding. We have 10 home builders active in town and lots of new businesses coming in. We are blessed with a good economy and our budget shows it.”
Residents see that our city is heading in the right direction and this budget helps move us there.
Mayor Mike Murphy
The budget is balanced and sustainable, according to Stephanie Dietz, the assistant city manager and interim finance officer.
The city would also add almost $1 million to its so-called “rainy day fund,” bringing it to $2.9 million.
The budget would also pay for staffers to pick up trash dumped in alleys and streets, which happens on a regular basis, according to city staffers. The city will also look to set up a collection site at Yosemite Avenue and Highway 59 to alleviate dumping.
The budget could be adopted as soon as June 19.
Thaddeus Miller: 209-385-2453, @thaddeusmiller
This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Merced’s city budget increasing. Is the local economy improving?."