Vacaville adopts budget, ups public safety funds

July 13, 2006

Vacaville adopts budget, ups public safety funds

By Ian Thompson

VACAVILLE - The city's $117.2 million 2006-07 budget is balanced and also pays for more police and paramedics, City Council members said as they approved the spending plan Tuesday.

A combination of sound fiscal choices and a solid local economy allowed a budget $7 million larger than last year, City Manager David Van Kirk said.

The council should expect revenues to continue going up as the much-awaited Nut Tree project starts to open stores and attract more sales tax revenue to town, he added.

Vacaville will hire five more police officers, a police sergeant, a community services officer, two family support workers and six firefighter paramedics.

The Vacaville Fire Department is also getting $150,000 for new equipment.

While public safety will get the lion's share of the increased spending, city officials also plan to make improvements to the George Duke Center and the Three Oaks Community Center.

The budget also includes money needed to rehabilitate of the historic Pena Adobe building in Lagoon Valley Park. Work started early this summer.

Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.