January 2004
Message from the City Manager Ken Pulskamp

Happy New Year!

I hope that all of you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season, shared with friends and family.

In December, we celebrated the swearing in of our new Mayor, Bob Kellar. Bob has been a member of the City Council for three-and-a-half years and has served this community for over two decades. He is truly dedicated to Santa Clarita and we are looking forward to another great year with Bob at the helm.

The current goings-on with the State legislature are cause for concern for Santa Clarita and cities throughout California. Poor planning and over-spending by the State is of grave concern to us with the new State budget that could result in a loss of millions of dollars to our City. Fortunately, the Santa Clarita City Council was very conservative in planning this year’s City budget. A $4 million “cut and hold” list was created in preparation for a potential loss of City funds to the State. The actual loss may be up to three million dollars more, causing the City to re-evaluate strategies in the upcoming months. Unlike the State, our City, like hundreds of others, prepares a balanced budget, delivering it on time. In addition, we practice long-range planning and are developing scenarios to preserve our quality of life over the long-term. We live within our means and don’t overspend. Now, the State is trying to balance its budget on the backs of California cities. We will keep you informed as to the developments occurring with the State budget and its impact on our City.

We are moving ahead early this year with the construction of the new Community Center in Newhall. We expect to be under construction early this spring. Also this spring, we will be adding new sports field lighting at Central Park to the four existing multi-use fields, the parking lot and walkway areas, doubling the existing multi-use field capacity during the evening hours.

Finally, I want to encourage you to participate in our new community strategic planning program, “The Big Picture.” This is a wonderful opportunity for you to weigh in on local issues of importance to you. The best part is that you don’t have to come to a meeting! You can participate on line at www.santaclarita. com/thebigpicture or via our hotline at 1-888-BIGPIC1, or call us at 661/259-2489 and we’ll come to your next group meeting or gathering. Of course if you want to attend a community meeting, we have two scheduled: January 22, 2004 at 7 p.m. at City Hall or February 18, 2004 at 7 p.m. at the Sports Complex, Activities Center (call for details at 661/259-2489).

Feel free to contact me at 661/255-4905 or via email at kpulskamp@santaclarita. com.

Best Regards,

Ken Pulskamp