Today’s OC Register reports that the Anaheim City Council has cut 11 jobs and reduced the Tourism Bureau’s budget in order to keep control of the city budget. Interestingly, the city also decided to privatize trash and litter removal, as well as restroom cleaning, in city parks, for a combined annual savings of $566,000. Anaheim’s city manager told the paper that city coffers were suffering due to reduced sales and bed tax revenues.
Most every city is experiencing a downturn in revenues as California’s economic problems hit families, businesses and governments alike. But not every city is responding by tightening their belts. Frankly, it’s refreshing to see responsible government budgeting. If only we had such discipline in Sacramento!
(Full disclosure—I do some work with Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle. But, although his leadership was clearly at play here, his name is not mentioned in this article.)