To read a copy of the city budget in brief, click here.
The complete 2008-2010 and 2010-2012 City of Walnut Creek budgets can be found on the City’s website by clicking here.
Although we are primarily concerned with the public safety budget, it is important to note that Public Works is the second major area most people associate with essential services provided by local governments. Providing and maintaining infrastructure, like our roadways, sewers, drainage, and other similar functions are clearly necessary and important functions.
Arts, recreation and community services are also valuable parts of any community. These services improve our quality of life and help make our community what it is. Unlike public safety and public works however there are numerous community groups and private businesses that also provide these services. The City of Walnut Creek spends roughly the same amount for arts and recreation services as it does on public works. This is by no means the norm for a local government. For example while Walnut Creek devotes 21% of General Fund dollars to arts and recreation, the City of Concord spends only 9.5%. The cities of Pleasant Hill and Martinez have no portion of their General Fund set aside specifically for Arts and Recreation (although they provide some funds for park maintenance and recreation programs through special districts or other city departments). Pittsburg spends 5.6%, Antioch spends 2% and Richmond devotes only 6% of General Fund dollars to Arts and Recreation spending.
The portion of funding for personnel and program costs dedicated to Arts, Recreation and Community Services has grown substantially over the past twenty years in Walnut Creek. During the same period the number of police officers has remained the same. The Police Department also faces the largest budget cut of any city department in the new budget (over $857,801).