$400,000 in the hole
Reporter Jennifer McLain outlines El Monte's budget shortfall and its consequences...
El Monte tries to prevent shortfall
City cuts services, hiring in face of $400,000 deficit
By Jennifer McLain, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/04/2008 11:52:17 PM PDT
EL MONTE - Increased costs and the economic downturn have played havoc with the city's budget the past two years.
After plugging a $3.5 million hole with reserves last year, El Monte is trying to stave off a possible $400,000 deficit this year. The city has implemented hiring freezes, planned to cut back services and might eventually lay off workers.
"During our midyear review, our revenues were below our projections, and our expenditures were higher," said Marcie Medina, deputy city manager for administrative services. "We realized that if we didn't do something, that we would be in trouble."
The city said on Tuesday that a $2 million drop in sales tax revenue - attributed largely to a decline in auto sales - forced it to dip into reserves to pay for the deficit. There is now only $2.2 million in that fund, said City Manager Jim Mussenden.
Other ways to "stop the bleeding" could include implementing furloughs, limiting out of town travel and eliminating programs, such as the Holiday House and Children's Day Parade.
"The council is so emotionally distressed with what is going on," said Mayor Ernie Gutierrez.
The council typically passes the budget before the start of the fiscal year, which started on July 1, but the financial straits have forced staff members to take longer than unusual to prepare the budget, Medina said.
She also said that the approach the city took to the budget this year is different than approaches in the past.
"We are trying to make due with the resources that we have," Medina said.
In public safety, there are also proposed cuts.
The Police Department was asked to cut $2.4 million from its $23 budget, Mussenden said.
There has been 32,000 hours of policing lost as result of eliminating positions, including sworn officers, civilian and cadet positions.
"(The lost hours) have resulted in an increase in robberies, prostitution and gang activity," said Tom Armstrong, assistant police chief.
Other developments in the Police Department, such as the remodeling of the detective bureau, will no longer occur.
Starr Henchey, crime analyst and vice president of the El Monte division of the Service Employee International Union, said that tensions have been high for the past two weeks since management asked that the union consider taking 10 non-paid days off a year.
"They are telling our group and the civilian-mid managers that if we were to agree to furloughs, it would save jobs," Henchey said. "But there is no guarantee that if we were to do this, that there wouldn't be layoffs down the road."
The union represents 173 non-sworn Police Department employees and all city workers that are not managers.
It was also proposed on Tuesday that the Fire Department reduce its services contract by 10 percent.
Gutierrez said the budget should be about "equity," and recommended that the city consider closing one of its four fire stations.
"If Baldwin Park has one station, should we not have two, or three?" said Gutierrez, who added that the El Monte is twice as big as Baldwin Park.
Medina predicts that tough economic times and increased expenditures will continue. As one way to make up for a loss in revenue, the council will be asked to consider approving an ad-on sales tax. The tax, which would be paid by residents and non-residents alike, could tag on up to 1 percent tax on all most transactions in the city. It could generate up to $4.4 million, officials said.
Voters would have to approve a quarter-cent or half-cent tax. The council will consider the approval of the final budget on Tuesday.
"We need to run the city like a business," Henchey told the council members Tuesday. "If you were to spend like it was your own, you'd spend differently."
jennifer.mclain@sgvn.com
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2477
Our city of El Monte is in another $4 million deficit, thanks to the mayor and city council. It wasn't bad enough that the previous fiscal year had a deficit of $3.5 million. They had to go and over spend again. The expenses over ride the revenues. It was up to the assistant deputy manager to make sure that the city council and mayor would not make the same ill-thought mistakes of over spending again. Well history has repeated it self at city hall. Some kind of piss poor mayor and council. Even the cities resreve is very low. At $2.2 million that is not a "healthy" amount at all. This is suppose to be a emergency put aside fund. God help us, the residents of El Monte.We are looking very gloomy and walking on very thin ice. Thanks to the lack of leadership on Mayor Gutierrez's part we are headed for bigger problems in our city. Seems like the mayor and city council were NOT EMOTIONALLY DISTRESSED when they kept approving big line item expenses. They just kept rubber stamping away, as usual. And we ask ourselves why we don't trust the mayor and city council. Look again. The proof will hit you right between the eyes! They have no concept of running a city like a business. They have proven that once again. What a total irresponsible, stupit mayor we have! No is no leader that is for sure.
El Monte has have some big, problems and issues. The state of the budgets defict can be blamed on the El Monte Police Department's on going raises. They tend to negotiate right before the mayoral and city council elections. Of course they will give them what ever they ask for. Just look at Gutierrez, Gomez, Barrios, and Ishigaki Campaign Contributions from the EMPD PAC.
The Police chief, Ken Weldon has a new expensive Cadillac SUV,thanks to Ernie and his goones. I guess he will continue to fill up free of charge at the city pump. Add that extra cost to the cities deficit.
We will be forced to pay a add on sales tax no matter what. But will this remedy the problem. I really don't think it will. They will overspend on this incoming revenue and WE WILL be up the creek without a paddle once again. The madness at city hall will continue. WE WILL BE HIT WITH THE BILL AND STUPITITY OF THE MAYOR AND HIS THREE AMIGOS AS USUAL.
Stupitity?
Like I said before RECALL THE MAYOR all of them are no good lairs. God help the people of El Monte.
Tough economic times are ahead for El Monte. The mayor and council better wake up out of their illusion of living high on the hog. I am sure that Medina does let them know about the budget and especially about going over budget. But the dumb mayor Gutierrez does not get it at all. He over spends because it is not his money. He goes around bouncing checks all over the city of El Monte. He is the butt joke of the business community and at the chamber mixers. Even his buddy, Jim Mussenden and the city staff make fun of him, behind his back. They don't respect him. They just put up with his b.s because he is the mayor. Sad but true.
I'd sure like see what all the dept. heads get paid ?I hear its unreal to other cities pay scale.
It was made available by the tribune in Nov. 2007. Ken Weldon is the highest paid.
El Monte Redevelop Director $94,800.00 Eugene Moy 115965
El Monte Asst. Community Dev. Dir. $115,092.00 Kev Tcharkroutian 115965
El Monte Dep. CM of Comm. Services $129,000.00 Veronica Dolleschel 115965
El Monte Deputy CM of adm. Services $138,024.00 Medina Maricela 115965
El Monte Ass. City Manager $150,420.00 Dante Hall 115965
El Monte City Manager $163,500.00 James Mussenden 115965
El Monte City Attorney $165,732.00 Edward Mosley 115965
El Monte Police Chief $189,684.00 Kenneth Weldon 115965
Thank you so much. The rank and file are the HIGHEST paid in the San Gabriel Valley by far. No wonder the city of El Monte is going down the toilet fast. Flush all these jerks down the sewer ASAP. They are not worth a nickle. Too top heavy first of all and too many of them, secondly. Have them take a pay cut or give up a days work with out pay per month. Yeah right. That is laughable. They don't even live in our city. Not good enough for them. Bunch of crooks!!!
IF EL MONTE IS IN THE HOLE, WHY THEN ARE ERNIE,EMILY, ART, JAY AND JIM HEADED OUT TO RANCHO BERNARDO RESORT?
IS THE CITY NOT IN A DEFICIT RIGHT NOW? WHY ARE THEY APPROVED TO GO? I WANT TO SEE ALL THEIR EXPENSES FOR THIS LUXURY TRIP ON THE CITIES DIME. (AND THEIR GUESTS)THEY KNOw EMPLOYEES WILL BE CUT LOOSE real soon, PROGRAMS AND SEVICES WILL BE CUT. AND YET THEY STILL HAVE THE NERVE TO GO!!! B.S.WHAT KIND OF CRAPT IS THAT??? THEY ONLY THINK OF THEMSELVES. HOW SELFISH AND UNETHICAL OF THEM. JERKS. THEY DON"T HAVE MONEY>>>BUT THEY STILL GO AND TAKE A FANCY VACATION!!! GASP.
yEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MYSELF. ERNIE, EMILY, ART, AND JAY SHOULD STAY HOME. THEY HAVE NO RIGHT GOING ON A ALL EXPENSE PAID VACATION TO A LUXUARY RESORT. THE CITY IS IN A CRISIS. THEY ARE SPENDING MONEY THAT DOES NOT EXIST. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? HAVE THEY NO CONCIOUS OR INTEGRITY WHAT'S SO EVER? RECALL...RECALL...RECALL
Why would they do something so stupit? They know good and well that the city is in the red. Can they do this and get away with it? Surely Ernie, Emily, Jay, Art, and Jim are out of their bloming minds.
Jim Mussenden is the city manager of El Monte.
Isn't it his responsibiity and duty to remind
Gutierrez and the rest that they c a n n o t go on
this expensive vacation on the cities money?
WHEN THERE IS NO MONEY. WHERE DID IT COME FROM???
HOW WAS IT PAID FOR??? Jim is not very bright at all.
What a lap god. Re-call them all. Jim too.
Budget Problems? I think Leadership is the main problem
especially when the Chief of Police is making $190,000.00 ($30,000.00 more than his boss) and that was last November..He got another raise in January and is setting up his Pension that we have to pay him... You cannot run a City from the Police Department.. he needs to pull the strings for Ernie, Emily, Art and Gomez so they can talk when it comes to budget or any other decision..What kind of leadership do we have when a subordinate is making more than his boss (City Manager)?
Remember if it was not for the EMPO and their PAC they would of not gotten the money to run at all. Ernie, Jay, Emily and Art owe them big time. It is pay back time. Why do you think they (EMPD) negotiates on their contract,when it is election time? Very smart on their part. Don't forget to add on the Rancho Bernardo Vacation? More money. What money? No money to spend!