Security makes up 34% of proposed budget

The nearly $680,000 cost of two new police officers to work in schools, an office worker to support the police department’s gang unit and more police recruitment efforts are part of Costa Mesa’s $130.1 million budget for 2007-08, which the City Council is expected to approve today.

Law enforcement costs make up the largest single spending category in next year’s budget, accounting for nearly 34% of the total. City Manager Allan Roeder said that’s not unusual — public safety has long been the bulk of the budget.

What’s relatively new is stepped-up funding for gang enforcement and police recruitment. Both items are continuations of efforts that began in the current fiscal year.

This year, the city went from having a shortage of officers to filling all available police positions and beginning to market Costa Mesa, Roeder said, but with some officers scheduled to retire next year and other cities expanding their departments, the field remains competitive.

“I think we are going to have to continue the aggressive marketing program that we’ve had,” he said. “The situation has not changed materially in the labor market.”

The city’s gang unit got beefed up in the $128.3 million 2006-07 budget, with the addition of two officers and a full-time probation officer.

The new budget follows Chief Christopher Shawkey’s recommendation of two more officers who will work on gang prevention in schools during the school year and on other police duties during the summer.

One aspect of the budget Costa Mesa residents are likely to notice is $4.8 million for street repairs, with a focus on residential streets and sidewalks, Roeder said. Hamilton and Plumer streets are among those slated for improvement.

Youth athletic facilities are another focus, with $220,000 for final design and construction of the city’s second skate park, planned at Lions Park, and $300,000 for master planning of sports fields at four facilities the city shares with schools.

Contracts with the city’s four employee unions expire this summer, so city officials estimated about $1.8 million to cover provisions of new contracts. Roeder said that amount isn’t set in stone — the city may spend more or less depending on how negotiations go.

One thing he didn’t budget for is the cost of a ballot measure to decide whether voters should directly elect the mayor. Former Mayor Gary Monahan and current Mayor Allan Mansoor have said they’re interested in the idea, and the issue will come up at a July 3 council meeting.

The cost of such a measure would depend on whether it’s on the ballot in February or November, Roder said, but “we don’t even know if it’s going to go on the ballot. We don’t budget prospective of future council decisions.”