Spring is upon us! Redwood Shores is always a beautiful part of our community as lawns are green, our trees are in blossom, and the flowers are blooming. What a great time to be outdoors enjoying our lagoon, parks and trails.
Spring also means that the end of our City’s fiscal year is coming to a close, and that it is budget time. Our economy is still struggling to regain a footing, and our State budget remains a mess with a projected deficit of $18 – $20 billion.
As a City, we are not immune to these economic realities. Ten years ago, our revenue from sales tax was $21 million. Today, it is projected to be $14 million. In addition, revenue from property taxes will decline — dropping by $650,000 for the new fiscal year. Sales tax and property taxes are our two largest revenue sources for our general fund.
With the potential for the State to “borrow’ monies from local government, we are faced with making some very difficult decisions. As a council, we will need to decide on what our core services are, and how we can live within our budget. At a recent Council meeting, we decided that our core services are: public safety, fiscal stability, legal/regulatory compliance, and public infrastructure. To deliver in these core service areas, we may need to reduce our budget by as much as $6 million. Several budget hearings are scheduled in the month of June, and your input is wanted.
Census 2010
Everyone should have received their US Census form in the mail. Completing and returning your census information is critical, especially during this economic time. The census is completed every 10 years, and is a major data point in the distribution of a variety of federal funds. On average, Redwood City receives $2,200 per person, per year in federal dollars — our tax dollars coming back to us. However, if our census :undercounts” our community by 100 individuals, this equals a loss of $220,000/year, or $2.2 million over ten years. Completing the census takes only a few minutes, and the information is confidential. Help our community and our City by being counted!