Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Striplin said he planned to present an on-time and balanced budget that maintained the city’s 20% emergency operating reserve, at a time when several local governments throughout the state are running deficits in the tens and hundreds of millions.
In addition to the state’s $25 billion deficit, Striplin called out cities like Sacramento ($66 million deficit), Los Angeles ($200 million) and San Diego ($640 million), which were all reasons the city shouldn’t take its balanced budget for granted.
While there were plenty of “thank-you’s” given by the City Council and commissioners for a general fund spending plan that had $157.4 million in expenditures and $157.7 million in revenue, there were also a few questions about what wasn’t all there: specifically, plans for the former senior center, talk of the Santa Clarita Elementary School site or the plans for Main Street.
Former senior center
The former home of the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center was once re-imagined as a space for veterans and the arts, which was part of an evaluation by both the city and L.A. County, according to city officials.
In February 2025, the city felt the plan was “doable,” and the space was awarded a $50,000 grant in July to make the project possible, according to a news release from L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
“I’m excited and proud that we’ll have a local place to support our veterans with the resources they deserve and for all Santa Clarita Valley residents to access the arts,” Barger said during her remarks at the State of the County in Santa Clarita in July. “This Arts and Veterans Center will not only celebrate creativity and self-expression for residents of all ages, but also deliver critical services that help our veterans thrive.”
And that’s still the goal, eventually, Striplin said, when the City Council directs the rest of the funding necessary for the facility. But for now, it’s being earmarked for parking spaces.
That appeared to be news for some of the Arts Commission, who asked the city about the proposal at the meeting.
The budget item now is a $1.26 million request in the 2026-27 spending plan for Santa Clarita, which is for the demolition of the current facility there and then the transition of the property into a parking lot, including the paving and striping.
Striplin said previously at the Budget Committee meeting that the building there ended up not being usable for what was previously discussed.
Jim Zenner, who received the funds on behalf of the county’s Department of Military and Veteran Affairs in July, said the money has not been spent. He said the department is planning an SCV event in June to support operations.
Santa Clarita Elementary
The city’s plans to acquire the Santa Clarita Elementary School site were not in the budget, but it’s not because the city isn’t interested.
Mayor Laurene Weste called a potential deal for a Saugus community center, library or park extension “one of the most dramatic and important things” staff can accomplish.
Councilman Jason Gibbs also brought it up to make sure it was a priority.
“So even though it’s not a line item, if you will, for budget discussion, we will still have the opportunity, if it arises, to continue engaging with the (Saugus Union) School District for potential purchase or some other piece with the district — and that not being listed here doesn’t impact your ability to … make that possible,” he said.
There were reasons why the city of Santa Clarita did not mention a budget item in the spending plan for Santa Clarita Elementary, Striplin said, in regard to Gibbs’ question about the now-shuttered school site.
In January, the city submitted a letter to the Saugus district expressing an interest in the purchase of the property at an “offer equivalent to the fair market value,” according to a previous story.
“We are actively in the negotiation process right now with the district,” Striplin said. “Right now, we’re in the appraisal process. Over the next three or four months, we’ll have greater clarity on the land value and land-value expectations.”
Striplin also alluded to one of the reasons why active and ongoing negotiations are kept confidential — “I’d hate to put $15 million in the budget, and they’re expecting $10 million,” after Gibbs followed his question with, “Because I know we get asked about it a lot, and I always tell I try to tell (residents) it’s early, and the process is still going.”
Main Street
In light of the announcement that The Hartwell — a property the city spent months on last year alone through the entitlement process — was now on the market, Councilwoman Marsha McLean had a question.
“I’m just wondering if there’s any projected costs to the city, other than the new parking structure, which we decided, waiting for them to do something?” McLean asked.
She mentioned “ugly fencing” that’s surrounding some of the properties, including a historic courthouse the city authorized for demolition, and asked if the city had any recourse.
“Could they not have known they were going to run into problems here and leave us in a lurch, and leave Old Town Newhall in a lurch, and all the businesses down there that were relying on that project?” she asked.
Striplin said there was no way the city could speed up the developer or his plans on his property, but realistically, the city itself did not see a significant impact, other than a potential loss in tax revenue from the operations of a demolished building. But property taxes would still be required.
The city is still within a previously agreed-to six-month negotiation period for a mixed-use project on Main Street with Serrano Development, the entity that just put The Hartwell on the market for $7.5 million.
Jason Crawford, director of community development, said Wednesday that a previously discussed, $26 million six-story parking structure for Main Street is still being planned for this year’s budget, although the job has not been put out to bid yet.
