Ways Studied to Offset Loss of Taxes

San Dimas is eyeing an $861,000 deficit and mulling deep cuts to offset the loss of revenue from a landscaping tax that was rejected in March.

The City Council this week directed City Manager Don Pruyn to negotiate with the labor unions for the city’s 56 full-time employees to see if pay reductions or changes in the workweek can offset the revenue loss. Pruyn has said that the size of the deficit means that the city cannot rule out reductions in staff.

The landscaping tax provided the city with about 10% of its budget. After the passage of Proposition 218 last year, the tax had to go back on the ballot for approval. It received 63% of the vote in the March election--3% short of the two-thirds vote needed to sustain it.