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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Nutter plans additional cuts to city budget

As we reported yesterday, Mayor Nutter has submitted a revised financial plan to the state agency that provides fiscal oversight to the city budget. The document makes significant changes to the original plan passed by City Council, reneging on announced cuts to the library system but cutting most everything else.

Let's start with public safety: Nutter plans to impose “rolling closures” of fire companies by eliminating $3.6 million in fire department overtime. The city will also reduce police overtime by $6.3 million. Finally, the prison budget will be cut by $1 million.

The cuts go well beyond these sacred cows, though. Housing, human services, recreation, and the cultural fund will all take a hit. Nutter also plans to decrease city funding for Community College by $1 million. Finally, the Department of Technology and the Office of Fleet Management -- two departments that don't directly provide services to the public but keep government working -- will be cut by $2.6 million and $1.5 million respectively.

As for the libraries, Nutter is planning to use part of the windfall from the tax amnesty program -- which generated about $40 million for the city -- to restore planned cuts to the system. Instead of having branches open only four days per week, all facilities will remain open at the current schedule.

Why is Nutter making these cuts now? Part of the reason is that the mayor failed to convince City Council to pass a new tax on soda and other sugary sweetened drinks. The other big factor is that other types of tax revenue are coming in lower than expected. As a result, the administration feels that further cuts are necessary to keep the city from running out of cash.

We'll have more analysis later. For now, you can check out a copy of the five-year plan by clicking here.

Follow us on Twitter and review city services on our sister site, City Howl.
Posted by Ben Waxman @ 10:54 AM  Permalink | 4 comments
Comments   
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:38 PM, 07/15/2010
    I'd rather see Parks and Rec get their $2.5 million for new trees than pay for the bloated staffs of City Council.
    — citylumberjack
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:10 PM, 07/19/2010
    Where are the reports for minority participation on City contracts? I guess there was no money in the budget for this.
    — MezikeB
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:18 PM, 07/19/2010
    Gee...what a concept...politicians having to make tough decisions to balance a budget. Just like every household in the city! Poor guys, they aren't used to dealing with reality and a lack of limitless money and debt.
    — bartfr


4 comments
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