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.
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.
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.
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.
A Los Angeles County proposal to take over fire and ambulance service from the Arcadia Fire Department would cost the city as much as $8 million more than present costs over 10 years, according to a city report.
A special budget session was held on February 11 to discuss alternatives for major expenditure reductions and the impact on services if reductions are made.
The Arcadia City Council approved a $48.7 million budget Tuesday without the significant reductions many other cities are facing due to a downturn in the economy.