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Atherton’s City Council on May 3 took a first look at a proposed $13.6 million budget for spending on capital improvement projects in the 2017-18 fiscal year.
The budget includes spending $5.85 million to start building a new library, $2.9 million to start on a new civic center, plus more than $1 million each on bicycle and pedestrian improvements, drainage and road maintenance.
The plan may change after a June 6 election on whether the town can spend more taxpayer money on the civic center project. The proposed $2.9 million in civic center spending includes only projects funded by donations and money set aside to pay for new building and planning offices.
For the five years through the 2020-21 fiscal year, the budget for capital improvements is $59.4 million. The council plans spending five years out, but only allocates money for specific projects for one fiscal year at a time.
The five-year plan includes as a funding source the renewal of the town’s parcel tax, which brings in close to $1.9 million each year, with about 80 percent of that used for capital improvements in recent years. The parcel tax expires in 2018, and would need to be approved by two-thirds of voters to be renewed
The proposed projects for 2017-18 include: $1.4 million for bicycle and pedestrian safety programs; $1.5 million for drainage improvement projects; $1 million for street maintenance; $580,000 for Holbrook-Palmer Park improvements; $225,000 for safety improvements on El Camino Real; $225,000 for inspecting the town’s not-yet inspected culverts; $100,000 to design quad gates for the Watkins Avenue rail crossing; and $50,000 to purchase a trailer and two fixed solar-powered indicators that would use radar to tell motorists how fast they are driving.
The council had a few minor tweaks in the projects, but made no major changes in priorities.
Atherton needs to update its facilities, but NOT the extravagant plan the Town Council currently wants. We residents agreed to this plan when it was privately funded, but now they want to use our tax dollars and CONTINUE the parcel tax when property tax revenue is at all-time highs. Scale down the plan if tax dollars are required. Vote NO on Measure A.