The Isla Vista Community Services District is estimated to end the year with nearly a quarter of a million dollars, and is set to spend about $470,000 with an income of approximately $898,000.
The district’s money for the 2018-2019 year came from three places: a UC Santa Barbara grant, the User Utility Tax (UUT) and a section labeled “other,” according to data released by the district during the March 26 meeting.
The numbers used in this article are the expenditures and income as of the time of the aforementioned meeting.
Data courtesy of IVCSD. Hayley Tice / Daily Nexus
UC Santa Barbara’s $198,334.00 grant is used for operations, Community Service Officers (CSO) Safety Stations, an internship and the UC Police Department Interpersonal Violence investigator.
The User Utility Tax (UUT) – an 8% tax on electricity, gas, garbage disposal, sewage and water services on Isla Vista homes – is the district’s main source of funding.
At the beginning of the year, it was estimated that the tax would net over a million dollars, specifically $777,000.00, but the district actually received $318,436.95 as of March 26. By the end of the district’s fiscal year, June 30, the tax is estimated to net $691,002.80.
However, the UUT failed to get money from any electric companies, according to the budget; the money only came from the gas, water, trash and sewage companies.
Members of the Measure R campaign, including current I.V. CSD President Spencer Brandt, promoted the tax with the promise that the UUT would contain a low-income exemption for those who could not afford the tax. However, the debate over whether or not to include a low-income exemption continues well into April 2019, 10 months after I.V. residents voted to pass the tax.
The district also primarily spent money in three categories: salaries and benefits, services and supplies and other capital assets.
Data courtesy of IVCSD. Hayley Tice / Daily Nexus
Within services and supplies, the district has mainly spent $4,088.16 on advertising/marketing, $1,371.19 on communications, $300 on I.T. hardware maintenance, $2,081 on memberships, $41.75 on office expenses, $518.33 for copies expenses, $102,124.49 professional and special services, $34,653.87 on legal fees, $39,115.71 on contractual services and $4,500 on rent/leases. With an estimated budget of $546,500, this leads to a difference of $356,897.33.
The salaries and benefits category contains several sections – $16,531.25 for salaries, $10,000 for extra help, $1,024.94 for FICA, $239.71 for FICA/Medicare, $421.53 for unemployment insurance and $1,095.00 for workers’ compensation.
Within “other and capital assets,” the district spent $5621.81 on structures, improvements and equipment and insurance, leading to a $605,463.09 difference.
Overall, the district so far has spent $224,536.91, with a revenue stream of 522,010.70.
Updated [April 5, 2:12 p.m.]: This article was updated to add clarifications regarding the budget estimations.
On top of the public safety services mentioned in this article, Revenue from the UUT has also funded a tenant/landlord mediation program, youth and family services at the Isla Vista Community Resource Building, and now a community beautification program.
thanks Jonathan
That wasn’t me I use my name when I comment
How much have they paid you so far?
I got paid 33k in 2018 and my salary is now 75k/yr. For reference the IVRPD assistant GM gets paid almost 100k and their GM north of 120k.
The IV CSD is quite possibly the worst idea ever conceived. It shows you the stupidity of the average IV resident for voting for this.
Exactly correct.