Cotati approves balanced budget

The Cotati City Council unanimously approved a balanced $4.86 million budget Wednesday.

It marks the third straight year the city will be in the black, after six years of deficit budgets.

In 2009, the city was staggering under a $530,00 general fund shortfall.

The budget allots the police department $2.6 million and includes money for three additional reserve police officers.

The budget anticipates extra revenue of $756,000 from Measure A, the 5-year, half-percent sales tax hike approved in 2010 after a campaign that was centered on preserving the police department from cuts.

This year, revenues from Measure A hit $740,444. That's $260,000 more than was projected last July. It initially was estimated the tax would bring in $600,000 to $900,000 a year.

The budget also benefits from staff cuts and concessions that have led to $2.3 million in savings over the past five years.

The budget almost doubles spending on the city manager/city clerk department, as well as in administrative services and community development. Those departments are taking on costs once borne by the city's redevelopment agency, which was eliminated by the state this year.

--Jeremy Hay