The Council passed budget guidance for the preparation of the budget for next year. This guidance directs a cut of 4% to the revenue the City derives from property taxes. This will impact the City and the schools as follows:
City: FY2010 budget will be reduced by $1.7 million and the FY2011 budget will be reduced by $3 million.
Schools: FY2010 budget will be reduced by $1.6 million and the FY2011 Budget will be reduced by $2.6 million
These are serious cuts that will result in the serious modification and/or elimination of services. For my part, I don’t support the forecast at this point as I feel these cuts are serious enough that management at all levels needs some idea of what these will do to the government. In a typical budget year, the Council would see those changes for the first time in February. I don’t feel that this is a typical budget year and felt we should work to provide more input for staff and develop some idea of what changes would result. In this, I was in the minority so the Council will see these changes for the first time early in the spring.
For whatever it’s worth, I’ve only been through 3 budgets but my experience so far is that the final budget varies little from the guidance so I wouldn’t look for substantial change.
The other variable in this zoo is the state budget. I would prepare for meaningful cuts in just about everything.
November 18, 2009 at 8:32 am
Is council considering or enhancing any sort of “core services” concept in the guidance? As has been discussed here previously? Such that as staff prepares cuts they have at least some concept from council of what specific or types of services council is politically willing to cut versus not willing to cut?
From my BlackBerry Storm…
November 18, 2009 at 9:05 am
I would like to see some proactive discussion of that but it is not to be. This budget will be prepared just like all the rest – the staff will make their best estimates about what we can live with and present it in Feb.
Let me be clear: I don’t see the guidance as the end of the world – the other Council folks are smart people and I’m open to the suggestion that I’m wrong. However, I would point out it reduces the time available to the Council and this is an election year. If all 3 members run for reelection and there is opposition, the guys that have been around awhile indicate that it really plays havoc with the dynamics of the debate…..
November 18, 2009 at 9:47 am
Andy, I am going to presume – without the Council doing a discussion – that the criteria of last year will most likely apply? That started with looking at programs that serve “those at-risk”, then moved on to mandates (must do), then the nice to do, then “if we have money” to do.
Any way you look at it, it is gonna be tough all around. But at least I am thankful the Council put out the initial guidance….County is not putting anything out till December 15th, and to me (given like you say the year is not typical), that is way behind the power curve.