Budget and economics trend up, Burlingame

The Daily Journal/Austin Walsh, 6/15/15.  "Budget booms in Burlingame: Officials hoping to capitalize on thriving local economy."

Downtown

California Street at train station

As the economy throughout the Peninsula keeps humming, Burlingame is expecting to reap the benefits as its budget is projected to grow from revenue generated by packed hotels and thriving sales tax.

....  The city’s general fund has been thriving over recent years, increasing by more than $17 million since 2011, according to a city report. But amidst this ongoing economic boom, officials are cognizant of the need to maintain fiscal responsibility, City Manager Lisa Goldman said in an email. ...  “With aging infrastructure and a large list of unfunded projects, however, we are continuing to hold down spending while exploring new sources of revenue,” she said. Councilman Ricardo Ortiz echoed those sentiments.

... “We still have huge unfunded capital improvements that we need to be aware of.” Ortiz identified the construction of a new recreation center, the possible relocation of City Hall and interest in developing a park on a chunk of Bayfront property as potential future projects officials need to keep an eye to funding.
 ....  The city may need to look into the feasibility of floating to voters a public financing measure, such as a bond, which would provide the funding to build some of the major capital improvement projects officials have identified, said Ortiz.  Read article.

Related - City of Burlingame, CA.  City-Data.  Note photographs: Broadway downtown area from Acumen, LLC; street view from Wikipedia/Spanish.

Posted by Kathy Meeh