BUDGET 2021-22: City emerges from pandemic with strong finances
by Mark McDermott Perhaps no event rang truer to recently retired City Controller Henry Mitzner’s most famed City Hall axiom than the adopted 2021-22 fiscal year budget, which projects the City of Manhattan Beach emerging from an economically devastating time with its economic health somehow better than ever. “When it’s bad out there, it’s good here,” Mitzner always said. “And when it’s good out there, it’s great here.” The City Council unanimously adopted a budget at its last meeting in June that is theoretically projected to have a $335,000 surplus, but in reality, after $8.4 million in American Rescue Plan revenues and $1.5 million in other pandemic relief funds filter in over the next year, will more likely show a much larger surplus. Along the way, City Manager Bruce Moe initiated both an early retirement program and a staff reorganization that will result in five fewer positions and over a half million dollars in savings, while a Pension Obligation Bond prepared by finance director Steve Charelian will realize between $1 million and $4.3 million in savings annually and almost $40 million over the next 25 years. In addition to the surplus, the City was able to keep its…
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