MOUNTAIN VIEWS NEWS TO HONOR 2024 GRADUATES

The June 1st edition of this paper will be dedicated to the Class of 2024! In order to be included, please send your graduates picture, full name, age and school. 

The Class of 2024 - tomorrow's leaders - deserve to be honored! Send to: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Subject: Class of 2024

 
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024 

VOLUME 18 NO. 17VOLUME 18 NO. 17

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity 
laws. Lic. #01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled 
from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be 
made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and 
square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.
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Sierra Madre News Briefs

PROJECTIONS SHOW BUDGET 
DEFICIT LOOMING

Could job cuts be in the future?

MISSING HIKER FOUND


By Kevin McGuire

Sierra Madre Finance Director Hillary 
Guirola-Leon presented the City’s long-
term budget projections for the General 
Fund before the City Council and a 
moderate group of attendees during the 
regular meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 
2024. 

The projections cover five-year budget 
projections and an overview of city 
funds. The city can receive revenues 
through both restricted and unrestricted 
funds. Unrestricted funds come from the 
General Fund, while restricted sources 
may include utility funds such as water 
and sewer revenues or special revenue 
funds from sources such as donations 
and grants. 

The General Fund helps keep the city 
operating by paying the Police and 
Fire Department personnel and library 
services, for example. Approximately 69 
percent of General Fund revenue comes 
from property and utility taxes, while 
the remainder comes from license and 
permit fees and other service fees. For 
the fiscal year ending 23/24, property 
taxes alone are expected to generate 
$8,686,300 into the General Fund. 

Most unrestricted revenue is expected 
to be spent on public safety services, 
including the Fire and Police 
Departments, accounting for 51 
percent of General Fund spending. 
Administrative Services (IT, Finance, 
Human Resources) will take around 
25 percent of the pie, with 10 percent 
going to Planning and Community 
Preservation and five percent to library 
renovations. The remainder of the 
budget covers Community Services and 
elected and appointed positions (City 
Clerk, Legal, etc.).

It's estimated that approximately 
$4,936,400 of the General Fund will cover 
Police services, while around $3,424,900 
will cover the Fire Department. Roughly 
$727,800 is budgeted for the library. 

Long-Term Projections

According to Director Guirola-Leon, 
creating a five-year projection includes 
preparing figures at mid-year using 
the available data and making updated 
adjustments during the next budget year. 

For example, hired consultants estimate 
property and sales taxes, and utility 
tax estimates follow historical trends. 
Utility taxes have historically increased 
by about three percent annually. Payroll 
expenditures have seen a seven percent 
increase, which includes merit increases 
and a 2.5 percent increase in COLA 
(standard cost of living).

The five-year projections do not include 
funding for capital projects, salary 
matrix adjustments to bring pay closer 
to market trends, or Public Safety 
Master Plan results. According to Fire 
Chief Brent Bartlett, the Public Safety 
Master Plan is a strategic road map for 
guiding budgetary decisions, optimizing 
resource allocations, managing 
risks, engaging the community, and 
measuring performance. Guirola-Leon 
expects public safety costs to increase 
significantly over the next five years. 

(continued on page 3)

On Sunday at 10:49 pm, the Sierra Madre Police 
Department sent out an alert that Julia Li, 21, was 
missing. She was listed as a 'critical missing' due to her 
existing medical challenges. She was reportedly last seen 
near Bailey Canyon Park at 4 p.m. 

According to various reports, her mother reported her 
missing after they were separated during a hike and Li 
didn’t meet her at their car at the agreed-upon time

Early Monday morning, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 
Search and Rescue personnel found her body.

The L.A. County coroner’s office listed Li’s cause of death 
as blunt trauma. The Sheriff’s Department said foul play 
is not suspected at this time. An investigation into this 
matter is ongoing. 

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED INTO 
ALLEGED "INAPPROPRIATE, NON-
SEXUAL PHYSICAL AND VERBAL 
CONTACT WITH A STUDENT."

InSIDE THIS WEEK

 Last week, Sierra Madre Police Department was called to 
St. Rita School due to a reported confrontation involving the 
parents of a student and one of the administrators/teachers 
at the school.

 At issue were allegations of inappropriate contact with a 
student. Upon arriving on the scene and an assessment of 
the immediate situation was made, no arrest resulted at that 
time. However, SMPD along with other local agencies, are 
investigating the allegations.

 On April 19th, Father Tom Baker, Pastor of St. Rita and 
Mrs. Adela Solis, Principal, sent a letter to all school parents 
apprising them of the situation. The administrator/teacher 
involved was, "placed on administrative leave pending the 
outcome of" the investigation. 

CREATIVE HOUSING OPTIONS IN ARCADIA........................Page 7

ADVICE FOR PROM GOERS..............................................Page 8

SPORTS & FITNESS: MICHELE KIDD...........................Page 14

Considering Selling 
Your Property in 2024?
Your next chapter awaits. Call us! We can help.
©2024 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real state LLC. An Equal Opportunity 
Company, Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Broker does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage, lot size, 
or other information concerning the condition or features of property provided by seller or obtained from public records or other sources, and the 
buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information through personal inspection and with appropriate professionals. If your property is currently 
listed for sale, this is not intended as a solicitation.
Time to sell...and go?
626.484.8135Barbara.Rogers@camoves.comwww.Barbara.Rogers.comCRE#01169115RBarbara Rogers626.278.0187Eileen.Benson@camoves.comwww.EileenBenson.com 
CRE#01880650BEileen Benson
SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER


The following represents a summary report of some 
of the major incidents handled by the Sierra Madre Police 
Department during this period. This list is not intended to 
be considered exclusive or all-inclusive.

Sunday, April 14 Theft from Motor Vehicle

At approximately 1:30 PM, officer responded to the police 
station for a report of a theft from vehicle. The victim 
advised her credit cards were stolen from her vehicle 
on April 12 in the 200 block of W. Sierra Madre Blvd. 
Additionally, unauthorized credit card transactions were 
observed. The Detectives Bureau is following up on this 
incident.

Thursday, April 18 Suspicious Circumstances

At approximately 9:00 PM, officers responded to the 800 
block of Auburn Ave. for a report of a male subject burning 
material in a small trash can on the roadside. Upon officers 
arrival, the subject had left the area, but burnt property was 
retrieved by the responding officer.The Detectives Bureau 
is following up on this incident.

Friday, April 19 Drunk in Public

At approximately 10:00 AM, officers responded to the 
0 block of North Baldwin Ave. regarding a female who 
appeared disoriented. Upon further investigation, officers 
discovered that the female was intoxicated, and she was 
arrested for being drunk in public.











 

 

 



 

 

 


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