Westminster sales tax hike?

Continued from page 1 budget with a combination of spending cuts and new revenue. She wanted to wait on a new tax until other alternatives were explored. “We have two years before we go into deficit,” she said. But Councilman Carlos Manzo pointed out that the city is currently taking money from reserves to balance the books.

“We’re in a deficit now. We shouldn’t be pulling from reserves now,” he said, citing staff reports stating that $3 million this year and $6 million to $8 million the next year would be needed from the treasury to pay the bills. “What is the fix for this?” he asked.

Councilmember Kimberly Ho gave some background on how Westminster’s financial problems developed, noting how the end of redevelopment cost the city $35 million annually.

“We have not been able to bring back $35 million,” she said. “We should capture the halfcent.”

Control of H. Beach library

Continued from page 1 governors have attempted to remove or restrict access to information about homosexuality and “gender identity.”

To date, no federal court has classified such information as obscene or pornographic.

Also on the agenda is a request from Councilmembers Dan Malmick, Rhoda Bolton and Natalie Moser denouncing antiSemitism, white supremacy and ant-LGBTQ hate.”

Additionally, the council will take up a continued public hearing on the city budget for 202324.

There’s a special meeting of the council acting as the housing authority at 4 p.m.., followed by the regular session at 6 p.m. The council meets in its chambers at 2000 Main St. (at Yorktown Avenue).