By Khalida Sarwari
The Campbell City Council adopted a 2012-13 fiscal year budget that includes funding for a nonprofit that provides legal advice and counseling to senior citizens.
The organization, called the Senior Adult Legal Assistance program, or SALA, had its request for one-time bridge funding denied by the council at the June 5 meeting. At the June 19 meeting, finance director Jesse Takahashi announced that Cynthia Bojorquez, Campbell’s director of recreation and community services, had identified about $4,600 of the $5,100 that the nonprofit needs to operate.
SALA is offered at the Campbell Community Center and, for at least a dozen years up until the current fiscal year, received funding from the city, which derived those funds from the county, assistant city manager Al Bito said. This year, however, the county did not award community development block grants to the city and opted instead to allocate CDBG monies to agencies that provide services such as emergency housing, rehabilitation loans and crisis counseling.
“Because SALA does not provide housing or sheltering, it was not able to get priority funding,” Bito said.
At the June 5 meeting, SALA representative Georgia Bacil said the agency was requesting funding for one year through the city’s social services subgrant program and would then apply competitively for regular funding along with other nonprofits. The council declined, citing unavailable funds.
Following that meeting, Bojorquez helped find private funds to backfill the grant money that SALA will no longer receive.
The council adopted a balanced operating budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year that will result in a $700,000 surplus. Takahashi credited the balanced budget and surplus to an improved economy, despite the city’s loss of its redevelopment agency.
Projections for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1, include $46.7 million in revenues and $45.9 million in expenditures. The budget includes an appropriation of $19.6 million to capital improvement projects over a five-year period.
The surplus will be used to replenish the city’s economic fluctuations reserve, or “rainy day” fund. Some of the surplus will also be allocated to capital improvement projects.
Increased tax revenue, including sales and property taxes, helped generate additional revenue for the city compared with previous years. License fees and permits revenue also increased.
Takahashi said other revenue generators, such as the proposed 168-unit mixed-use development on Bascom Avenue, are also essential. The project is anticipated to bring in more than $800,000 in one-time funds, he said.
There are no layoffs or significant changes to services anticipated, although furloughs are expected to continue, Takahashi said. Police officers will have three furlough days while other city employees will have seven.
Bojorquez finds $4,600 to allow city to keep funding senior advice, counseling program
