As the City Council continues to hammer out and prepare for the upcoming two-year budget, set to be adopted in June, it’s clear that tough decisions are on the horizon.

The council met Tuesday in a study session to give feedback to city staff who are putting together the budget. And while everything from a need for more technology investment to balancing priorities was discussed, still unanswered is how the city will close what is now a $2.1 deficit. In fact, council members pointed to a few areas in the budget on which they want to spend more than planned, such as millions more on maintenance for facilities and roads.

“We need to see a budget that puts a realistic number on our capital needs,” said Councilwoman Kristina Lawson. “We are chronically underfunding our infrastructure replacement.”

A report by the city’s Blue Ribbon Task Force last year said that $50 million is needed over the next 10 years both for new capital facilities and to maintain existing ones. One of the 38 recommendations was that the city should take care of its existing facilities before building any new ones.

The community needs to know what happens if the city doesn’t step up its funding, Lawson said.

The city’s baseline budget called for no new employees and, so far, no layoffs. But after the council was presented with a report from the IT department requesting two more staffers and the chief of police asked earlier in the year for at least two more officers, council members said those requests need to be analyzed.

“We need to understand what the cost of that will be,” said Councilwoman Cindy Silva.

At a council retreat in January, the cost for two officers was estimated at $300,000 a year. Some council members said at that time that if the chief believes the need is there, then more officers should be funded. But if the council wants more officers, or more staffing in any department, where that money will come from has yet to be identified.

Council members did say that they want the city to recover more of the cost for city services. The recovery of costs varies widely from department to department, with the Arts, Recreation and Community Services department at 73 percent this fiscal year — projecting 77 percent cost recovery for next fiscal year — and the police department at 11 percent cost recovery. While council said significant cost recovery is impossible for some departments, such as police, that Walnut Creek taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize things like the cost of private development.

But Councilman Gary Skrel said because private developments bring public benefit, he wasn’t comfortable with hefty charges so much for certain fees.

“Even at 100 percent cost recovery that’s a good deal,” he said. “I would rather push and have the market tell me I pushed too hard.”

Mayor Bob Simmons said he doubts someone wouldn’t build their project in Walnut Creek because the fees are too high.

Rajan pointed out that no matter how much cost recovery is done, it will not be enough to pay for some of the added expenses council is asking for.

“We are going to have a trade-off for sure,” he said.

Skrel said the city shouldn’t only be looking at cost recovery but also at cuts to programs and services if necessary.

Things for which the council still seems willing to foot the bill through its own “contingency fund” include things like school crisis counselors, the Walnut Creek Concert Band and events for Memorial Day and Veterans Day. But Silva said that after this budget cycle, community groups shouldn’t bank on the contingency fund for money.

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