The first City of Arcadia budget since the elimination of more than $2 mil. in Redevelopment Agency funding, and the first submitted by new City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto, shows a projected General Fund deficit of about $1.5 mil. for next year. It gets even worse in 2013-14 and still worse after that.

But the picture may not be that bleak. First of all, the City expects to make more than $600,000 from the one-time sale of former water well property and another $700,000 – $1.2 mil. from a joint IRS Task Force program involving the recovery of money through audits, according to Police Chief Robert Guthrie. Lazzaretto, who had only a few weeks to prepare the budget since taking over in late March, said during a study session Tuesday that those two projected windfalls cannot be budgeted since they are uncertain income.

In addition, the City typically proposes very conservative budgets and usually winds up with a hefty surplus, such as the current 2011-12 fiscal year ending June 30 which is projected to end up with a nearly $900,000 net gain versus the initial budget last year that forecast a deficit of about $850,000.

And finally, significant additional sales tax and business license tax revenue is anticipated from new shops scheduled to open at Westfield Santa Anita, starting this fall — probably September — with a new two-level Forever 21, and followed by a Gold’s Gym next February on the third level of the same building, the former Robinsons-May store.
In fact, two of the brightest spots in the City of Arcadia’s income for fiscal year 2011-12 and projections for 2012-13 come from Arcadia businesses. Sales tax revenues and business license taxes are projected to climb another 6.3% and 9.1%, respectively, to a combined $10.8 million in 2012-13.
The City’s annual sales tax from businesses has increased $2.3 mil. (34%) each year, climbing back this year to more than $9 mil. for the first time since the recession. Sales taxes are projected to climb to $9.6 mil. next year. And the Business License Tax, which has steadily increased each year, is budgeted to reach $1.2 mil. in 2012-13.
(Despite the success of businesses, the City may consider cutting the fee it pays the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce by 50% as the Chamber is asking for only the second fee increase since the 1990s.)

Although Redevelopment funds from the state, which were eliminated earlier this year by Governor Brown, do not technically show up in the City’s General Fund, those state funds were used to pay nearly $1 million in staff salaries and other City expenses that must all now be covered by the General Fund.

Councilman Segal expressed concern that while the City may find temporary ways to cover projected deficits, those deficits are only going to get bigger each year until the City either finds significant new revenue streams or makes significant cuts in City services, such as cutting back the number of days the Library is open, cutting back tree trimming and street services, or even closing a fire station. He was not suggesting any of those things, but noting that it would take something on that scale to close the projected budget deficits over the next several years.

After a three-hour presentation by City department heads Tuesday, City officials decided to reconvene at 5:30 p.m., May 29, to decide how to approach the 2012-13 budget that starts July 1 — whether to make potentially major cuts to offset the $1.5 mil. projected loss on paper to come up with a balanced budget, or to leave expenses as budgeted by City staff and take a calculated gamble that the expected additional income will come through and more than cover what currently looks like a deficit. Or a combination of both.

Councilman Amundson expressed a desire to balance the budget. Mayor Harbicht later said that he is confident that City revenue will rebound when the economy recovers.

– By Scott Hettrick

Georgette Tuttle, art teacher at Arcadia High School, received a school grant from the California Retired Teachers’ Association #71 (CalRTA) at a May faculty meeting. Principal David Vannasdall welcomed CalRTA #71 School Grant Committee members to the campus.

Georgette Tuttle (l) and Patti Hahn.

School Grant Committee Chairperson Patti Hahn presented the award to Georgette Tuttle, who had requested a grant to purchase canvases for murals to be painted by students. The completed paintings would then be displayed in the hallways of the high school’s Administration Building. Tuttle expressed her appreciation for the helpful grant, and CalRTA #71 President Joyce McGregor added her congratulations to the recipient of the award.

(l-r) CalRTA #71 President Joyce McGregor; AHS art teacher Georgette Tuttle; Committee Chairperson Patti Hahn, AHS Principal David Vannasdall

CalRTA #71 awards school grants each year for the purpose of helping teachers to purchase additional equipment or supplies for their classrooms. By visiting the schools to make presentations, CalRTA #71 hopes to acquaint future retirees with their organization.

Membership in the California Retired Teachers’ Association is open to all retired educators and also to any others interested in joining. For membership information, please contact Marietta Watkins at (323) 258-9615 or Patricia Dietrich at (626) 446-8437.

Arcadia’s Best blogger and Arcadia High School freshman Emily Zheng has been chosen by The Young Democrats of America as one of only 48 students in the country to attend a High School Leadership Academy in Washington D.C. this summer.

Emily Zheng

The third annual four-day summer camp July 8 – 11 will focus on developing the next generation of Democratic Party leaders. YDA has been the official youth arm of the Democratic Party for 80 years.

Zheng was notified on May 11 by YDA chief of staff Heather Brown. In her e-mail, Brown told Zheng this year’s Academy will focus on preparing her to manage various aspects of a political campaign.

Zheng was also recently accepted as an intern for the campaign of local State Assembly candidate Edwin Chau, and was recognized May 11 as a Finalist in Congressman David Drier’s Youth Volunteer Awards during a ceremony at the Arcadia Community Center.

Emily Zheng, in light black jacket and black slacks, holding the fourth certificate from the left.

This YDA Leadership Academy is designed for high school students who are interested in getting an inside view of elections, the media, campaign finance, grassroots organizing, interest groups, the legislative process and careers in politics.
Students will participate in leadership workshops and policy panels and will be introduced to the nation’s top Democratic elected officials and Party leaders.

Attendees will stay at the historic Phoenix Park Hotel on Capitol Hill and the trip will also include a guided tour of the Washington Monument, among other sites.

National chemistry champion Timothy Man Hay Lee, a senor at Arcadia High School, has qualified to compete for one of four spots on the U.S. team bound for the 44th annual International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).
For the first time since 1992, the U.S. will host the Olympiad on July 21-30, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Hay is one of only 20 students nation-wide invited to a two-week intensive study camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Timothy attended the study camp in 2010 and 2011; this fall, he will attend Stanford University, pursuing a degree in one of the sciences.

“Timothy Lee is one of the brightest chemistry students I had in my teaching career. He loves chemistry, likes working as part of a team, and enjoys the thrill of competition,” said Cherryl Mynster, his AP Chemistry teacher and Science Bowl coach. “This is the 9th time since 2003 that Arcadia High School has a student qualifying for the study camp and it has been seven years since Arcadia High School had a student represent the U.S. in the International Chemistry Olympiad. I’m excited about Timothy’s chances of being part of the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad Team!”

“The students who compete in the IChO are the brightest minds in chemistry,” said ACS president Bassam Shakhashiri. “These young people are the ones who will make the discoveries that shape our future by curing disease, addressing climate change, feeding our rapidly expanding population and much more.”

The competition, to be part of the international event, is fierce, beginning with a three-part exam taken by 12,000 high school students in the U.S. Timothy’s performance on this exam resulted in the opportunity to take the National Chemistry Olympiad test. Out of more than 1,000 of the nation’s brightest chemistry students who took the national test, he advanced to the top 20 and next he will be heading to the study camp being held June 5-20.

During the camp, Timothy will receive college-level training, with an emphasis on organic chemistry, through a series of lectures, problem-solving exercises, lab work, and testing. At the camp’s conclusion, four students will be chosen to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad where they will compete with their peers from more than 70 nations for gold, silver and bronze medals.

The American Chemical Society (ACS),  a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and the  world’s largest scientific society with more than 164,000 members, is the the official organizer, and The Dow Chemical Company is the official sponsor of the overall international event.

“At Dow, with more than 100 years of investment in STEM education programs, we know that innovation begins not only in the classroom but also in personal imagination,” said Bo Miller, Global Director for Corporate Citizenship for The Dow Chemical Company and President and Executive Director of The Dow Chemical Company Foundation. “We are excited to use the 44th International Chemistry Olympiad as an opportunity to engage and inspire bright young scientists from across the globe to pursue careers in chemistry as a means of creating solutions to challenges that affect our planet, our communities and improve the human condition.”

Foothill Unity Center has promoted a new Executive Director from its own ranks to replace recently-retired Joan E. Whitenack.
Deputy Director Betty R. McWilliams was chosen from a field of more than 20 candidates to assume leadership June 4 of the non-profit organization that helps local low-income families and individuals get the food, health care and crisis assistance they need to survive, and hopefully get back on their feet.

Betty R. McWilliams

As a key member of the Center’s management team for 14 years, McWilliams has played a pivotal role in its growth into one of the most effective nonprofit agencies in the area. In partnership with Whitenack, she led the expansion of its program service area from three cities to eleven, now providing services to more than 4,000 unduplicated very low income local families and homeless each year. She was instrumental in securing the Center’s federal designation as Community Action Agency for the Foothill Area and in the success of its major annual fundraising event, the Golden Plate Awards Dinner.

A retirement party for Joan Whitenack is planned from 5 – 8 p.m. Thursday, June 28, at the Double Tree Hotel in Monrovia. For information and reservations ($10 per person), contact Barbara Rolf at the Center, 626.358.3486 or email barbara@foothillunitycenter.org

In addition to overseeing the Center’s day-to-day operations, McWilliams has helped to develop many of its client programs, including Health Services, Pet Food Bank, Senior/Disabled Home Delivery, case management and much more. She has also been instrumental in the planning and execution of its annual Back to School, Thanksgiving and Holiday Distributions. Prior to joining the Center, McWilliams served as Executive Director of the Pasadena Senior Center for six years and held other administrative positions in the private sector.

“After a months-long search and the review of a strong field of final candidates, Betty emerged as the hands-down choice of our Executive Search Committee,” said David Steinmeier, President of the Center’s Board of Directors. “As Foothill Unity Center enters a new era of helping local families in need, we are fortunate and proud to have Betty’s exceptional leadership skills, seasoned experience, caring and passion at the helm.”

In 2011, the nonprofit Center, the Community Action Agency for the Foothill area, provided more than 35,000 family food services – including monthly groceries, weekly perishable foods, bag lunches for the homeless, homebound delivery and more. The organization also supplies access and referrals to health care services, plus referrals to over 100 local organizations and partners for other crisis services.