After years of struggling to find the funds to keep the city out of over a million and a half dollar deficit in the budget, the City of Susanville has climbed out of the rut it. During the City Council’s September 21st meeting, the city’s finance manager proudly announced that the city would have a balanced budget for the first time in several years.
Multiple actions contributed by the city administrator and supported by the council got the budget where it needed to be this fiscal year. Those included the use of COVID relief ARPA funds, a reorganization of city staff, refinancing of staff retirement funds with Calpers to save 2.7 million throughout the plan, and most recently, the passage of Measure P is set t bring 1.5 million for ¾ of the year with an additional 500k expected next year. The increased sales tax of measure P will begin tomorrow, with revenue from the 1 cent increase received starting in January.
The council was questioned on the creation of the citizen oversight committee promised on the June ballot, to which City Administrator Dan Newton said it is of priority and will be coming in short order.
