Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Money woes fade in memory as council approves a budget

By Clarence Cromwell

With business still booming in Los Gatos, ironing out this year's no-cuts budget looked like a breeze this month, compared to the vitriolic public hearings the Town Council held a year ago.

Times have improved so much that there should be enough money to restore cuts made last year and to continue to rebuild the town's decaying streets, Town Manager Dave Knapp said at a May 27 public hearing.

The $15 million town budget for 1997-98 gives every town department slightly more money, except for the Town Council. Council funding drops from $46,520 to $36,790 because the town is spending less on councilmembers' health benefits.

Restored in the proposed budget are the funds for KCAT, the Los Gatos cable channel. The council restored a ranger position and Friday library hours in February, as funds became available.

Once again the town shifted $500,000 from the operating budget to the capital improvement budget to pay for street repairs that have been neglected for years.

When the council moved that amount to the capital improvement budget last year, it resulted in drastic cuts. The council shifted the funds because voters rejected a utility-users tax that would have funded street repairs.

A healthier economy this year has meant increased revenue from sales tax, hotel tax and building fees for the town, such an improvement over last year that officials restored last year's cuts and budgeted another $500,000 for street repairs.

This summer, Los Gatans will see the work on three of the town's busiest thoroughfares: Los Gatos Boulevard, Main Street and Blossom Hill Road.

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