MARCH/APRIL 2004

Planning a Future of Arts and Culture

Celebrate Health at the Cherry Blossom Festival

Protect Yourself and Your Family

City Braces for Budget Cuts

Cool Trees Shade a Hilltop Home

Water-saving Garden Blossoms on a Vacant Lot

Go Native and Save Water

Be Water Wise

Etcetera...Etcetera

Noticias en Breve

Planning a Future of Arts and Culture

ORE THAN 4 MILLION PEOPLE VISIT PASADENA’S MUSEUMS, galleries and theaters every year. What’s more, Pasadena spends five times more on the arts than other cities of comparable size and 25% more than the national average.

During the 12-month “Cultural Nexus” planning process, Pasadena will draft a 10-year plan to ensure that arts and culture are entwined with industry, retail, scientific research, design, tourism, education, social services, health care, recreation, neighborhoods and more.

We need your ideas! Community workshops have been set for April 7, 8, 14, 16 and 20. We’ll review our findings during a town hall meeting on June 19, then start drafting the plan, which we hope to have in place by June 2005.

For workshop locations and other updates, call 744-7062 or visit www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/arts/nexus.asp.

Celebrate Health at the Cherry Blossom Festival

DISCOVER A WORLD OF HEALTHIER LIVING and two fun-filled days of cultural activities at the Pasadena Cherry Blossom Festival Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Victory Park.

This 3rd annual event will feature fun, outdoor activities for all ages, including entertainment, martial arts demonstrations, food, craft and vendor booths, a fashion show and parade.

The Pasadena Public Health Department is organizing the festival’s Health, Nutrition and Fitness Expo with free giveaways and information on department programs.

The event coincides with National Public Health Week, so the Public Health Department is using this opportunity to educate the community about the value of public health. For more information on the festival, visit www.pasadenacherryblossom.org or call 744-6099.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

JUST AS DANGEROUS AS FIRE, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas that can be deadly. If you’re not careful, this silent killer could flow from your furnace, wood burning or fuel-fired appliances, water heaters or vehicles. Stay safe and follow these tips from the Pasadena Fire Department:

• Have a qualified technician regularly tune up your furnace, water heater and fireplace.

• Have your chimney inspected annually for cracks, blockages or other problems.

• Make sure the chimney flue and outside openings of all exhaust vents are clear of insulation, leaves, bird nests or debris.

• Never leave your car running in the garage for even a minute. Once you start the car, pull it outside to warm up.

• Never light a barbeque indoors.

• Keep the area around any fuel-fired equipment clear. This ensures good airflow that will help the appliance work properly.

 • Stop by the hardware store and buy a carbon monoxide detector for your home.

 
For more tips, contact lderderian@cityofpasadena.net or call 744-7276.

City Braces For Budget Cuts

FOR MANY YEARS the state of California has spent much more than it has received. This year, Sacramento reported a whopping $38 billion budget deficit.

To make up for this, the state is poised to siphon more funds than ever before from every municipality in California – revenues from property taxes, vehicle license fees and other sources that help pay for critical city services including public safety, parks, street maintenance and housing. For some cities this news is absolutely catastrophic; in Pasadena, thanks to the forward thinking of city officials through the years, healthy reserves have been waiting for such a rainy day as this. But even with these reserves, Pasadena will have to cut $3 million or more from its budget in the coming months. This comes on the heels of $2.5 million in budget cuts made in July to help brace Pasadena for the state’s ambush of municipal budgets.

Of course the city’s day-to-day operations and long-range planning are continuing in the midst of a serious re-evaluation of budget priorities as well as a hard look at the kinds of services we should provide. We value your input. Visit www.cityofpasadena.net/citymanager to offer your feedback or call 744-4000.