Millions In Development Cash Spent Ahead Of Brown's Budget

CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. (CBS13) -- An emergency City Council meeting has prompted criticism that city leaders are on a secret spending spree after $60 million was allocated in less than an hour.

News that Governor Jerry Brown's budget plan to deal with a multi-billion dollar deficit might include shifting redevelopment funds to other projects has driven city leaders across California to "use it or lose it."

The Citrus Heights City Council bankrolled $60 million worth of projects in a hastily-called, 38-minute meeting late Friday.

Close to $50 million of the funds would transform Sayonara Drive; razing crime-ridden four-plexes and building new affordable housing. Much of the remaining money is set for improvements on the Auburn commercial corridor and Sunrise Marketplace.

Groups that could benefit from Brown's redistribution plan blasted city leaders for the holiday-weekend decisions.

"That's almost $2 million a minute of public spending they made without really telling the public anything about it," said Carol Wills of the political action group California Professional Firefighters. "Even as we're closing fire stations, laying off sheriff's deputies and increasing [school] class sizes, redevelopment agencies are living high on the hog and getting fat."

Community and Economic Development Director Rhonda Sherman said there was no rush to spend the money and the projects have been in development for years.

With few details of Governor Brown's proposal available, city leaders were concerned their funding would evaporate if they didn't approve it soon.

"Concerned enough to take this action," Sherman said.

Los Angeles allocated almost $1 billion for redevelopment projects on Friday and other cities may soon follow suit.