Anaheim Officials to Consider Extra Police

ANAHEIM — City Manager James D. Ruth is expected to recommend today that the City Council hire additional police officers and extend the operating hours of its libraries and swimming pools.

The recommendations will come during a special budget workshop where council members will be given an early look at the city’s financial status for the upcoming fiscal year.

“This kind of workshop is very helpful to the council and to the community,” Mayor Tom Daly said. “It gives us an early look at the upcoming budget as well as budget prospects for the next few years.”

Ruth declined to discuss details of the presentation, but said the city does not expect to make major cuts or layoffs despite having to absorb a possible $45-million loss from the county’s failed investment pool. Anaheim had $169 million invested in the pool.

Despite potential losses, city officials say they intend to move forward with major development plans, such as possibly building a new baseball stadium for the California Angels and revitalizing downtown Anaheim and the area surrounding Disneyland.

Ruth has said that the city’s saving grace amid the county bankruptcy is its healthy reserve fund that has grown steadily from $79.9 million in 1990 to $131.6 million in 1994.

“I don’t believe that any of our projects or programs should be impacted by the county’s bankruptcy problem,” said Daly, who has also said that the city will continue to fight to get all of its money back from the county pool.

Daly said the hiring of more police officers remains a priority. Last June, the council approved a $137-million general fund budget that called for the hiring of 22 new police officers but eliminated 16 other positions in the city.

“Two years ago, I proposed that we begin hiring more police officers with the goal of hiring 48 more,” Daly said. “We will discuss whether the city manager thinks we will be able to achieve that goal. We need to continue making progress toward that.”

The budget workshop begins at 8 a.m. and is open to the public. It will be in the council chambers at Anaheim City Hall, 200 S. Anaheim Blvd.