Budget workshop to address $2.69 million shortfall

The city released the staff report for tomorrow's budget meeting. The city council will meet from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to discuss an estimated $2.69 million budget shortfall for the fiscal year 2009-10.

According to a staff report, the city is considering cutting programs, services and reigning in spending by different city departments by up to 15 percent.

The city is also considering moving employees to a 38 hour work week, which would cut their salaries by about 5 percent. The move, if implemented, would save the city about $437,409.

According to the report, the deficit comes from $500,000 in a revenue shortfall due to current economic conditions and a $2.1 million loss of revenue due to state seizures for its budget deficit.

With the changes being proposed, residents will really feel an impact from this budget deficit. To earn more revenue, the city is proposing raising rates on parking tickets by 20 percent, issuing citations to cars parked in the way of street sweepers and increased transit occupancy taxes at hotels.

There may be cuts to programs like DARE, the mobile recreation program, increased fees for sports field usage, children's programs and much more.

The city council will have tough decision to make at tomorrow's meeting. In March, the city already squeezed $2 million out of the budget to close a deficit. Most of that came from the General Fund Reserve and benefits cuts to city staff.

I'll have a full report of the meeting in the Wednesday, July 29 edition of the COURIER.