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South El Monte council adopts budget after split vote; directs staff to return with reserve-policy options
Summary
After hours of public comment and council debate, the South El Monte City Council adopted the fiscal-year budget following a 3-2 vote on an amendment related to proposed public-safety cuts and directed staff to return with recommendations to clarify reserve-use policy.
The South El Monte City Council voted to adopt the city’s annual budget after a contentious discussion over whether to use reserves and whether to cut or contract out public-safety services.
The measure to approve the budget as amended — removing a line item described as “item 4,” which would have reduced public-safety staffing — passed by a 3-2 margin. Council members also directed staff to return at a future meeting with concrete recommendations to expand and clarify the city’s reserve policy.
The debate centered on how aggressively the city should draw down its reserves to cushion an economic downturn versus trimming recurring costs. Finance Director Masami told the council the city already “adopted a policy in 2020” and “we need to maintain it above 25% … we’re…
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