The best way to balance the budget and to even have a surplus would be to contract out police service to the Sheriff. Menlo Park could easily save more than $5 million and that would be a permanent reduction not just a one time saving. Use $1.3 million to balance the budget and use the rest to fund currently unfunded pension liabilities.

Menlo Park
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,785 people
17.4 square miles (45 km2), of which
10.1 square miles (26 km2) is land
and 7.3 square miles (19 km2) is water.
Police services budget $14.69 M
$477.148 per capita

Agencies which contract out their police services:

Saratoga
The population was 30,318 at the 2007 census.
The city has a total area of 21.1 square miles
(31.4 km²)
Police costs via County Sheriff $4.34 M
$143 per capita

Woodside
11.8 square miles (30.5 km²)
As of the census of 2000, there were
5,352 people
Police services via County Sheriff $1.3 M
$242 per capita

Portola Valley
The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census
9.2 square miles (23.7 km²)
Police services via Sheriff $498,601
$111 per capita

San Carlos
The population was 27.238 in 2008
5.93 square miles
Police services via proposed Sheriff's contract
$6.8 M
$248.62 per capita


This comparison is not entirely fair. None of these other communities has a similar proportion of lower income residents, none is next to high-crime areas like East Palo Alto.
I don't disagree that our city's costs might be high, but comparisons should be between communities with similar needs, not just similar population.

Please compare apples states:"None of these other communities has a similar proportion of lower income residents, none is next to high-crime areas like East Palo Alto."

Why should an apple cost twice as much as an orange - regardless of how good each might taste. And San Carlos has a lower median income than Menlo Park and far more lower income residents.

The differences in cost are so great that you cannot dismiss these examples as irrelevant.

Here are the facts re San Carlos and Menlo Park - not as different as I thought. So why do police services cost $248.62 per capita
 in San Carlos and $477.148 per capita in Menlo Park? That is a $7 Millon difference for essentially the same size city.

San Carlos

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $99,110, and the median income for a family was $137,325.[4] Males had a median income of $70,554 versus $51,760 for females. The per capita income for the city was $46,628. 2.7% of the population and 1.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 2.3% were under the age of 18 and 3.7% were 65 or older.

Menlo Park

As of the 2000 estimate census, the median income for a household in the city was $82,609. Males had a median income of $77,766 versus $59,101 for females. The per capita income for the city was $51,341. About 5.9% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those over age 64. As of 2009 the median income for a family was $123,251.[6]

Here are the facts re San Carlos and Menlo Park - not as different as I thought. So why do police services cost $248.62 per capita
 in San Carlos and $477.148 per capita in Menlo Park? That is a $7 Millon difference for essentially the same size city.

San Carlos

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $99,110, and the median income for a family was $137,325.[4] Males had a median income of $70,554 versus $51,760 for females. The per capita income for the city was $46,628. 2.7% of the population and 1.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 2.3% were under the age of 18 and 3.7% were 65 or older.

Menlo Park

As of the 2000 estimate census, the median income for a household in the city was $82,609. Males had a median income of $77,766 versus $59,101 for females. The per capita income for the city was $51,341. About 5.9% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those over age 64. As of 2009 the median income for a family was $123,251.[6]