CITY MANAGER BUDGET MESSAGE
enhance existing traffic signal flow, and numerous other traffic management measures to improve overall efficiency of our City’s circulation system.
Maintain the City’s Contingency Reserve at 20 percent: This budget keeps the City’s contingency reserve at the minimum level of 20 percent. This is below the desired level of 25 percent, which will be difficult to achieve in fiscally challenging times. However, keeping the reserve at 20 percent is essential in order to maintain the City’s high credit rating, provide cash flow throughout the year, and have resources in the case of an emergency. Reduce the City’s unfunded pension liability: Staff continues to implement a plan previously approved by the City Council to pay down the City’s unfunded pension liabilities in order to stabilize future pension cost increases. This Biennial Budget includes $7 million in pension pay-down payments (including a $5 million loan from the Asset Management Plan). The pay down plan will result in a welcome reduction in the City’s pension contribution to CalPERS beginning in FY 2021-22. Appropriately fund the City’s key infrastructure, such as facilities, streets, vehicles and technology: This Biennial Budget includes several recommended fiscal policies, to reinforce the fiscal discipline and accountability principles under which this City already operates. To take care of the City’s key infrastructure, such as facilities, vehicles, streets and technology, the policies will require a regular comprehensive assessment of the City’s critical assets – based on the new practice utilized by staff to develop this Biennial Budget and Five-Year Financial Plan. Promote innovation through the effective use of Information Technology solutions to streamline business processes and increase responsiveness to the community: City management continues to promote innovation through the use of effective technology. In the proposed Biennial Budget, funding is included to upgrade and replace the City’s aging permitting system in order to enhance online services and reduce processing times and paper consumption. Also budgeted is an upgrade to the City’s Public Safety Record Management System to integrate information from several systems and provide real-time data to police officers. The overall proposed Information Technology budget supports core information technology services, improves cybersecurity capabilities, and enhances the City’s wireless functions. These key areas allow the City to remain at the forefront of technology designed to digitally engage citizens, businesses, and visitors alike. Recruit and retain high quality employees: The City will continue developing programs to recruit talented candidates and to retain and develop our employees. Efforts under way include formal internship programs in collaboration with UC-Irvine and the Chamber of Commerce, a job shadowing program, employee training online and through the train-the- trainer approach, employee engagement to facilitate inter-departmental innovation, and many others.
FY 2019-21 Proposed Budget
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