Manteca is delaying plans to hire four more police officers and three firefighters using the Measure M public safety sales tax receipts for at least a year.
Originally the spending plan for the half cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2006 projected $4.6 million in receipts for the 2010-11 fiscal year that starts today. Instead, based on collections in the fiscal year that just ended, city officials are projecting $3.7 million in receipts based on the weakened economy.
The Measure M Citizens Oversight Committee approved a revised staffing plan in response to declining revenues.
The Measure M account was projected to have ended the 2009-10 fiscal year on Wednesday with $4,325,408 in the fund balance. The cost of the 11 police officers and 12 firefighters funded from Measure M sales takes - including salary and benefits - will come to $4,166,384 in the coming 12 months. That is against projected revenue of $3.7 million.
The projected balance on June 20, 2011 is pegged at $3,859,784. If Manteca did not collect another cent in measure M sales tax as of today that projected balance would be enough to fund all of the positions for another year (fiscal year 2011-12) and have about $300,000 left over.
City Manager Steve Pinkerton has indicated the reserve provides a cushion to make sure the city can afford to retain the Measure M public safety employees they have already hired.
The Measure M taxes are in addition to general fund positions.
No one anticipated the retraction in the general fund when Measure M was placed on the ballot. Almost a fourth of the department’s sworn officers are now paid through Measure M or interest from the public safety endowment fund established by developers.
The city is still committing the same percentage of the general fund to public safety as required when voters approved the public safety sales tax.
Originally the spending plan for the half cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2006 projected $4.6 million in receipts for the 2010-11 fiscal year that starts today. Instead, based on collections in the fiscal year that just ended, city officials are projecting $3.7 million in receipts based on the weakened economy.
The Measure M Citizens Oversight Committee approved a revised staffing plan in response to declining revenues.
The Measure M account was projected to have ended the 2009-10 fiscal year on Wednesday with $4,325,408 in the fund balance. The cost of the 11 police officers and 12 firefighters funded from Measure M sales takes - including salary and benefits - will come to $4,166,384 in the coming 12 months. That is against projected revenue of $3.7 million.
The projected balance on June 20, 2011 is pegged at $3,859,784. If Manteca did not collect another cent in measure M sales tax as of today that projected balance would be enough to fund all of the positions for another year (fiscal year 2011-12) and have about $300,000 left over.
City Manager Steve Pinkerton has indicated the reserve provides a cushion to make sure the city can afford to retain the Measure M public safety employees they have already hired.
The Measure M taxes are in addition to general fund positions.
No one anticipated the retraction in the general fund when Measure M was placed on the ballot. Almost a fourth of the department’s sworn officers are now paid through Measure M or interest from the public safety endowment fund established by developers.
The city is still committing the same percentage of the general fund to public safety as required when voters approved the public safety sales tax.
