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All council members were present for the Tuesday, Apr. 18, City Council meeting. Open session started at 6:07 p.m. and ended at 10:11 p.m. Here's what you missed:
Second Budget Workshop projects $1.4 million budget surplus. Carson’s turnaround from nearly a decade of financial deficits to monetary prowess continues to roll as the second workshop on the city’s 2023-2024 budget revealed projected revenues exceeding expected expenses to a $1.4 million surplus. However, Senior Budget Analyst Austin Turner noted that the City currently has a “tentatively structurally balanced budget” with Deputy City Manager Tarik Rahmani reminding the council that the budget is not yet complete. Rahmani suggested that the third budget workshop may contain additional department requests as well as a better understanding on the increase in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s contract.
The first budget workshop was held on Mar. 21 where projected City revenues was reported at $121.9 million. A detailed analysis on the City’s top revenue sources can be viewed below:
Revenues | FY 22-23 Budget | FY 22-23 Actuals | FY 23-24 Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
Sales Tax | $33,644,000 | $21,753,721 | $36,460,097 |
Property Tax | $18,332,470 | $11,066,928 | $21,102,776 |
Transaction and Use Tax - Measure K | $14,348,136 | $12,885,933 | $18,793,485 |
Utility Users Tax - Measure R | $8,500,000 | $11,245,722 | $9,500,000 |
Oil Industry Business Tax- Measure C | $4,200,000 | $4,155,001 | $10,500,000 |
Transient Occupancy Tax | $1,583,384 | $1,269,117 | $1,700,000 |
Franchise Tax | $9,500,000 | $3,739,975 | $9,500,000 |
License and Permits | $4,900,000 | $6,401,014 | $4,900,000 |
Fines and Forfeitures | $3,706,754 | $2,917,012 | $3,706,754 |
Charges for Services | $6,158,000 | $1,753,354 | $5,800,000 |
Miscellaneous* | | $66,043,327* | |
Total | $104,872,744 | $143,231,104 | $121,963,112 |
*Miscellaneous includes a $59 million Oil Business Tax retro payment.
The second budget workshop highlighted a $16 million increase in projected costs in both personnel and operating expenses totaling to an estimated $120.5 million in City expenditures. The finance department projects the City’s personnel budget to increase by 23% (nearly $11 million) to $56 million due to raises in cost of living, pension, and medical insurance City staff is set to receive receive throughout the year. Projected operating expenses are expected to increase by nearly $5.5 million (to a total of $64.6 million) the bulk of which derives from Public Works and Public Safety departments, each of which raised their budgets to around $2 million. Personnel and Operating expenditures for each City departments is listed below:
| Operating Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|
Department | Projected FY 2023-2024 | Adopted FY 2022-2023 |
City Council | $237,550 | $237,550 |
Legal | $3,100,000 | $3,100,000 |
City Clerk | $280,998 | $666,498 |
City Treasurer | $129,763 | $162,663 |
City Manager | $2,616,635 | $2,131,079 |
Innovation, Sustainability, Performance Management (I.S.P.M.) | $383,100 | $313,128 |
Human Resources | $505,136 | $276,295 |
Information Technology & Security | $1,732,440 | $1,684,682 |
Community Development | $3,066,301 | $3,464,951 |
Public Safety | $26,501,856 | $24,265,975 |
Finance | $683,014 | $708,782 |
Community Services | $4,297,098 | $3,591,991 |
Public Works | $9,538,074 | $7,653,202 |
Non-Departmental | $10,599,193 | $9,944,964 |
Total | $63,671,158 | $58,201,759 |
| Personnel Expenditures | |
Department | FY 2023-2024 | FY 2022-2023 |
City Council | $943,296 | $783,163 |
City Clerk | $913,756 | $775,638 |
City Treasurer | $747,628 | $640,438 |
City Manager | $2,393,302 | $1,957,245 |
Innovation, Sustainability, Performance Management (I.S.P.M.) | $1,554,125 | $1,133,134 |
Human Resources | $1,590,715 | $1,333,903 |
Information Technology & Security | $2,228,368 | $1,375,489 |
Community Development | $3,188,212 | $2,164,861 |
Public Safety | $3,685,463 | $2,845,632 |
Finance | $4,490,189 | $4,054,359 |
Community Services | $14,133,099 | $11,690,410 |
Public Works | $17,508,539 | $14,156,114 |
Non-Departmental | $2,820,984 | $2,820,984 |
Total | $56,197,676 | $45,731,370 |
The third and also last budget workshop is scheduled for May 16 where staff will present specifics on the City’s Capital Improvement Projects, Special Revenue and Special Events funds. The budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 is scheduled to be approved on June 20th.
Mobile Home residents gain added protections through new Mobile Home Overlay Districts. An applause, cheers, and an audible “hallelujah” could be heard from those attending the meeting as the council unanimously approved a resolution adding much needed safeguards through the Mobilehome Park Overlay District. For many Carson residents this news has been a very long time coming, as the groundwork to create an overlay zone was established about five years ago in 2018 with the adoption of the City Charter. As per the staff report, the newly adopted Mobilehome Park Overlay Zone (MHO) seeks to maintain, preserve, and promote mobilehome parks as an important source of affordable rental housing as defined under the City’s adopted housing element. Under the new law, existing mobilehome parks inside MHO zones are allowed to operate, renovate, and expand; however those parks cannot be redeveloped unless the City council approves a zone change resulting in the removal of the MHO completely. If somehow a mobilehome park does close, state law requires that comparable units are provided to those residents at affordable housing rates. Any new mobile home parks operations would be subject to the City’s conditional use permit. According to Community Development Director Saied Naaseh, the MHO’s would be established at all 21 mobilehome park establishments in the City except for Imperial Avalon and Park Granada.
What should have been a feel-good moment for all, suddenly soured as Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes abruptly adjourned the meeting right after she discredited Councilmember Jim Dear, who had been asking for a mobile home overlay zone ordinance at every council meeting for the past year, and attributed the newly adopted protections to herself, Mayor Pro Tem Jawane Hilton, and Councilmember Cedric Hicks for passing the City Charter which established the groundwork for MHO’s in 2018. “You kept asking for something that you could have done about this mobile home ordinance. You were the mayor for 12 years and you did nothing. Now, all of a sudden, because I told you that we were going to put it on after the general plan; you want to say you are taking credit for this. Well, you didn’t. You were a recalled City Clerk. You were not on the City Council. And the three of us sitting right here [herself, Hicks, and Hilton], we put this in the charter because we said we wanted to protect our mobile home residents.”
Carson teen Alinka Castaneda safely returned home. Captain Damon Jones of the Carson Sheriff Station shared spectacular news during his presentation at the council meeting informing everyone that the victim of a recent missing-person case has been found. At the previous meeting, the council established a $100,000 reward for the recovery of 16-year-old Alinka Angeline Castaneda and the conviction of those responsible for her disappearance. “I am happy to announce she has been located and safely reunited with her family” proclaimed Captain Jones to applause from everyone attending the meeting. The Captain noted that the investigation is still on-going and thus the $100,000 reward remains unclaimed.
Christian Dunbar awarded 2023 L.A. Times Boys Basketball Coach of the Year. Eagle Rock High School’s Coach and Carson resident, Christian Dunbar, was recognized by the council for winning the 2023 L.A. Times Boys Basketball Coach of the Year. Dunbar led Eagle Rock’s Boys Basketball team to its third section division II title in the last ten years, recently beating South Gate in a 53-49 championship win. “I’ve been a resident of Carson, and I appreciate the acknowledgement from the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and the City Councilmembers” said Dunbar while receiving the certificate from the City. “To be L.A. Times boys basketball coach of the year, that's saying something. Sometimes these young men, this is the only person they see,” announced Mayor Davis-Holmes, “so I always want to commend our coaches for all that they do. It's a selfless job. They get paid pennies, but they do it for the love of them from their heart.”
The council made the following Proclamations:
Recognizing the week from the 23rd to the 209th of April as National Library Week.
Recognizing April 22 as Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Events:
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: for the new Starbucks located at the corner of Bonita St. and Carson St., Tuesday April 25, 11 A.M. - 1 P.M., presented by the City of Carson Chamber of Commerce.
Self-Care Health Fair - Saturday, Apr 29, 9 A.M. - 1 P.M., Carson Event Center
Cinco De Mayo Celebration - Saturday, May 6, 11 A.M. - 4 P.M., Carson Park