Wednesday, May 21, 2003 | 9:15 a.m.
City Councils in Henderson and North Las Vegas approved multimillion-dollar spending plans for their respective cities on Tuesday, clearing the way for hiring additional police and firefighters in both cities without raising property tax rates.
Meanwhile the Boulder City Council approved a $46.6 million budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The mayors of both Henderson and North Las Vegas warned that if the state Legislature takes money that traditionally has gone to the cities to balance the state budget, the cities' budgets would have to be drastically changed.
Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson said residents should contact their legislators to tell them to fight any bills that would take money from municipalities.
"If a tax shift happens, I'm concerned about the impact on public safety," Gibson said, adding that the council would have to look into cuts at the police and fire departments, as well as at recreational centers.
North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon said if state legislators cut back on how much cities will receive through the state, the council would have to reconsider the budget for the coming fiscal year.
But until the Legislature irons out a solution to the state's budget shortfall, the cities are left to go on current revenue projections from the state, he said.
There was no public comment during separate Tuesday public hearings on the North Las Vegas and Henderson budgets.
Following their hearings, the councils from both cities voted unanimously to approve their respective budgets.
In North Las Vegas, the budget calls for adding 30 full-time employees to the police department, of which 10 will be sworn officers, plus 15 firefighters. The additions will be enough to staff a new police substation and new fire station expected to open within the next year.
The city will also add nine to its Development Services Department, including two new planners and four new building inspectors.
The council decided to go ahead with those staff additions, but bring back any other new positions for further review before filling them.
Under Henderson's budget, the city will hire an additional six firefighters/ paramedics and 10 police officers, which city officials have said will help those departments keep pace with increased demand in the fast-growing city.
North Las Vegas' $348.9 million spending plan does include some increases to building permit fees, which will have to be approved in a separate council vote.
But the North Las Vegas budget does not include any water or sewer rate increases. The city is in the early stages of reviewing possible rate increases, which would also have to be approved by a council vote.
The North Las Vegas budget includes a general fund of about $109.4 million. The general fund pays for general government services such as police, fire and public works.
Henderson's $377.7 million budget includes a $157.5 million general fund.
In Boulder City, where the proposed budget has been a hot issue in the mayoral campaign between incumbent Bob Ferraro and former City Councilman Bill Smith, both men claimed that what is in the $46.6 million budget proved their opposite arguments.
Ferraro called it "a very good budget" -- the city plans to spend $1.06 million more than it is getting in revenues -- because he argues that it is responsible, meets the needs of residents and will reduce the city's general reserves only from 28 percent to 25 percent, which still is five times greater than many cities maintain in reserve.
Smith, who has forecasted gloom and doom with such reserves running out by 2010 if the city does not find ways to tighten its belt, says Tuesday's final budget demonstrates the downward spiral he has predicted in his campaign. Ferraro says the golf course will one day be a major tourist attraction that will be a boon to the city's coffers.
The general fund, which pays salaries and other daily operating expenses, will have $40,000 less in property tax revenue projections than were figured into the tentative budget. But at $17 million, the fund is up 4.5 percent over the current year.
The overall budget includes $26.3 million in charges for services, $11.9 million in intergovernmental resources and $1.4 million in property taxes. But its top expenditures are $20.6 million in utility enterprises, $7.1 million in capital projects and 6.6 million in public safety, which includes the fire and police departments.
The budget was approved 4-0 Tuesday. Councilman Mike Pacini was absent because of a death in his family.
A sticking point, however, remains on the city's second golf course, built at a cost of $22.3 million and whether it will begin to turn a profit in three years as has been forecasted.
A budget summary released Tuesday says the 19th through 27th holes were to be completed by July 1, but city officials admit that won't happen until August, possibly September.
"The delay will have no impact (on the project's success) because of the amount of play it will get," Ferraro said of the course that has been in operation for six months and is operated by Triad Golf Management. The company plans to begin construction this fall of yet another nine holes of a night-lighted par-three section of the course.
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