Letters to the Editor

Impressive financial numbers are a reminder of the good going on inside City Hall

I’m hopeful you all took the time to read a recent news article on how our City Manager, city leaders and city employees reported a $17 million increase in the city’s operating budget. The general fund came in $7.4 million ahead of a 20% reserve requirement, according to a staff report.

Our city outperformed budget estimates in its parking fund by $2.8 million (naysayers say that parking revenue doesn’t pay for itself), the capital improvement fund by $2.5 million and the Measure LL fund by $1.6 million (naysayers don’t like or want any more hotels).

Those numbers were driven, in part, by $5 million in hotel bed tax revenue. The operating budget also benefited from an increase in property tax and sales tax. Laguna Beach collected 34% more in sales tax during fiscal year 2021-22 over the previous year, leading to a $1.8 million increase in the balance with a majority of those funds coming from restaurants and bars. City departments also saved $1.4 million through a combination of cost control strategies and unfilled positions.

This was all done with the help and direction of our incredibly bright and forward thinking Shohreh Dupuis, our City Manager, and three (3) city councilmembers…Sue Kempf, Bob Whalen and Peter Blake, who were the members of the City Council that you all berated, but were voted in by the balance of our community to keep Laguna Beach in the 21st century.

All naysayers and name callers who seem to love to fight…IT’S TIME TO STOP FIGHTING AND CONTINUALLY FINDING FAULT WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT…it’s time tojoin with the rest of our city that want to see Laguna Go Forward!

Sam Goldstein, former PAC member

Laguna Beach