West Hollywood : $800,000 in Budget Cuts

The cash-strapped West Hollywood City Council approved midyear budget cuts of more than $800,000 Monday but spared social services and several other popular programs.

The spending cuts are part of an effort to reduce a projected $2.6-million deficit, which officials blame mainly on the recession and delayed federal aid. City Finance Officer Paul Arevalo said that by making many of the midyear cuts permanent, the city should be able to save enough in the next few years to make up for this year’s shortfall.

The council also agreed to delays or reductions in capital projects totaling another $3.6 million.

The cuts were first proposed two weeks ago after City Manager Paul Brotzman directed department heads to find ways to trim their budgets 10%. With little discussion Monday, the council approved most of the proposals after setting aside some items and deciding to look for more cuts later. The largest cuts came from the transportation and community development departments.

Worries about the city’s support of the arts, especially a plan to cut an arts supervisor’s job after June, were among the reasons cited this week for the resignations of the chairman and vice chairman of the Fine Arts Advisory Board. Brotzman said the positions, originally created to coordinate a now-defunct street festival, are no longer self-funding, as they were intended to be.