How the New Budgets Impact You

Updated: 1 p.m.

1. City increases fees for some recreation services

As the city of Milpitas tightens its belt this fiscal year, we're asked to chip in to help cover some of the costs. The , which costs the city about $80,000 to put on, won't be free this year. It's $2 per person (youth and under 13 are free).

Admission for Rainbow Theatre, starting with the production of Back to the '80s, will increase to $12 from $8. Prices for youth 13 and over will stay the same at $6.

For non-residents who use the Milpitas Sports Center, the annual flat fee is now $50, not $30. 

Senior center classes, which mostly start in August, will increase from $1.50 to $2 per hour. Non-residents will pay an additional $10 fee.

Fees for reservations of city parks as well as indoor facility rentals have gone up.

2. Water rates rise

The city's new water rate hike kicks in today. On your bi-monthly household bill, you'll see a four-tier pricing system instead of two. Households  used to pay a higher rate after 20 HCFs. Now they pay a higher rate based on every ten HCFs (7,480 cubic feet of water). 

"The average Milpitas single family residence using 1,150 cubic feet of water per month currently pays about $70 a month for water and sewer," according to the city. "The first annual increase would raise this to about $79." 

A flat sewer rate, billed every two months, increases from about $71 to $76 for single family households.

The increase comes after wholesale water suppliers, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District, raised their rates for aging infrastructure improvements. In addition, the will be rebuilt over the next 30 years. 

The water and sewer rate ordinance became effective June 4, but the new rates start July 1.

3. State sales tax drops one percent 

In Milpitas, whether it's breakfast at Denny's or a new car at the Honda dealership, expect to pay 8.25 percent instead of 9.25 on taxable items. 

That's because a temporary tax hike expired today and the five-year extension proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown did not materialize.

4. School districts begin new budget cycle in uncertain economic times

"It can stay the same [as last year] or get worse," said Santa Clara County Office of Education Chief Business Officer Kenneth Shelton. Even though the governor signed the state budget yesterday, July 1 marks the deadline for school districts in the county to turn in their budgets. If not approved by the county office of education, said Shelton, they will have until mid-September to revise them. 

Milpitas Unified passed a budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year based on the state's May revision (that included Brown's proposed tax extensions and a $4 billion state deficit). The state's new budget projects a $4 billion increase in revenues, according to Phuong Le, assistant superintendent of business services for MUSD.

If the $4 billion increase in revenues doesn't materialize, then there could be mid-year cuts, Le wrote in an email. A budget update will be provided at the school board meeting on August 23.

5.

With the whose service areas overlap with the library district's boundaries, non-residents will need to pay $80 for a one-year library card.

That means, San Jose residents can visit the , but they will not be able to check out materials or use the internet without a card.

At the same time, the Milpitas Public Library will while all San Jose libraries (except the King branch) will go down to four days a week.