Huntington Beach city councilors recently approved their 2023–24 fiscal year budget starting July 1—reporting a $5.4 million surplus—after an hours-long discussion that attracted over 100 residents, many of whom were concerned about a proposal posted online the Friday before the special meeting on June 26 that showed the possibility of some services being cut, including at the city’s libraries.
After being alerted to the issue of possible cuts via an email from Councilmember Dan Kalmick, the council received angry messages from constituents, and by Monday, just before the meeting, city staff produced a revised document, which ultimately removed many of the controversial cuts.
