The city budget passed unanimously on Tuesday night and included the elimination of 9 full-time employee positions, an increase in paramedics fees and a one-year, 1 percent utility tax increase.
Tuesday's City Council meeting saw a 4-1 approval of a recommendation to direct staff to prepare to place a 2% utility tax on the ballot in April 1998.
More than 400 people crammed City Hall and an adjacent outside courtyard Tuesday, as City Council wrestled with ways to slash $2 million from its annual budget.
Incumbents Sheng Chang and Barbara Kuhn failed in their bids for re-election to City Council as voters gave first-time candidate Gail Marshall, former Mayor Roger Chandler and council appointee Gary Kovacic the nod for the next four years. Gino Roncilli came in well ahead of former Mayor George Fasching for the two year seat. Voters also gave thumbs down to Measure A, a ballot initiative that would have added 2 percent to the current 5 percent utility tax for the next four years.
In an attempt to produce permanent revenue enhancement, the City Council has agreed to go to ballot with a Fire Suppression District assessment which would ask property owners to tax themselves to achieve a balanced budget.
Arcadia City Council on Wednesday called for a study on whether it should contract with Los Angeles County for its fire protection services. The decision came after a marathon 5 1/2 hour session on the budget that attracted more than 400 spectators.
City Council is looking at fee increases, proposed elimination of as many as 14 full-time positions and other controversial alternatives to balance the 1996-97 budget.
Mary Young, the only woman in Arcadia's history to serve 2 terms as mayor and only the second on the city council, was unanimously elected as mayor while Charles Gilb was elected mayor pro-tem by the newly formed city council.
Arcadia's City Council was unable to elect a Mayor at Tuesday's Council meeting, with 5 members splitting their votes 3 ways. Several council members are interviewed.
The Arcadia City Council made good Tuesday night on its pledge to not let the budget sit for another 6 months, making cuts which will total approximately $300,000 annually.