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La Habra Heights council warns city may not be financially viable without new revenue or reforms
Summary
Council staff summarized a series of budget workshops showing expenditures rising faster than revenues and warned the city could face loss of viability absent new, stable revenue sources or structural changes; residents pressed options ranging from increased assessments to permit modernization and potential disincorporation.
La Habra Heights city staff told residents Friday that the city’s long-running pattern of revenues rising slowly while costs — especially for roads, fire services and mandated programs — accelerate could force the city to consider major structural changes if it cannot close the gap.
"If we don't find a way to sort of close that gap in the future, I can't necessarily say that we can be here forever," Rafferty, who oversees city administration and serves as the technical city clerk, said during the workshop. "We may reach a point where we may not be viable economically to stay as a city."
The workshop was the capstone in a series of meetings reviewing the city’s budget, revenue sources and high-cost programs. Staff outlined…
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