As a grim-faced City Council listened, Mayor Denis Law Monday night presented his 2010 city budget proposal that lays off 35 city workers and will lead to a longer wait for some city services and the loss of others.
Sitting in the audience were many city administrators who had spent an equally grim Monday telling the laid-off workers that their jobs would end in November.
The proposed 2010 budget totals $212 million, including $98 million in the city’s general fund that pays for day-to-day operations and $29 million for capital projects. The rest of the budget is dedicated to other specific purposes.
Next, the City Council will begin its review of the budget proposal at a series of public meetings and workshops that begin at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Conferencing Center on the seventh floor of City Hall.
The City Council will hold a public hearing on revenue sources for the budget during its regular meeting starting at 7 p.m. Monday (Oct. 26) in its chambers, seventh floor, City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way. A second hearing on the budget is on Nov. 16.
After Law’s presentation, council member King Parker said he looks forward to “vigorous oversight” of the budget proposal.
The budget, which focuses on core services such as public safety, is 3.5 percent less than the budget adopted for 2009.
The Community Services Department will reduce seasonal/part-time staff by 80 workers. Those cuts will eliminate the Summer Teen musical, close some recreation buildings and reduce or eliminate summer youth programs.
Law doesn’t propose an increase in the city’s property tax, although other rates and fees could increase.
“This is not a time to impact our citizens with tax increases to fill our revenue shortfall. We need to make critical choices about how to spend tax dollars and reduce our spending to keep our city’s finances strong,” said Law.
With the slowing economy, the preliminary projections indicated a gap of about $6 million between revenues and expenditures, a shortfall of more than 6 percent of the general fund budget.
The budget eliminates 50 positions, including those lost through layoffs. Including the 35 positions left unfilled last year, the city will have cut its workforce by 12 percent.
Audience members had their chance to comment after Law’s presentation.
Pat Miller, president of Local 2170 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said his union members will bear the brunt of the layoffs. The local represents about 46 percent of the city’s employees, outside the Police Department.
He told the council and mayor he wants to begin talking with them about ways to save jobs and services.
According to the city, these are some of the impacts from department budge cuts:
* Police Department: While there are no reductions that compromise response times and public safety, proposed cuts include administrative and clerical staff. This will result in police officers assuming some of those functions.
* Fire and Emergency Services: Continue to hold open positions; restore an aid car and improve response times; not fill an open deputy chief position; reduce two fire inspector positions. There will be no impact to response times but there will be some reduction in service levels related to conducting inspections and investigations.
* Community Services: Reduce seasonal/part-time staff by 80. These reductions will eliminate the Summer Teen musical; close recreation buildings at Kennydale, Kiwanis, Phillip Arnold, Teasdale and Tiffany Parks; reduce or eliminate summer youth programs, volunteer recognition, and holiday lights; impact the museum; reduce geese control, tree removal, maintenance supplies; decrease frequency of cleaning public restrooms; and reduce the flower program.
* While Renton voters will have the opportunity to cast their vote and consider changing administration of library services in February, currently the city cannot afford the desired level of library services and programs. Depending on the outcome of the election, the city may be forced to make reductions in staffing, materials, and other programs.
* Department of Community and Economic Development: Reduce staff by more than 20 percent. While planning mandates will still be met, this will increase wait time for pre-applications, permit reviews, and inspections. There will be further delay in the progress of community plans and planning support to other city departments.
* Public Works: Eliminate coordination with Sound Transit and Metro and provide minimum compliance with the Commute Trip Reduction program; reduce transportation capital project management program; reduce resources to update the city’s comprehensive walkway plan. These reductions will increase the response time to citizen complaints on streets, sidewalks and traffic issues, and result in a decline in street maintenance and street-side litter collection. The utilities division will also reduce participation in water education projects and eliminate the Clean Sweep curbside clean-up program.
* Others: Consolidate functions and reduce staff in Finance and Information Technology Department; eliminate technical staff and support in Human Resources Department; reduce staff in Mayor’s office, City Clerk’s Office, Courts and Communications Division. The city will need to move to a biennial budget, will have to defer GIS and technology upgrade, increase turnaround time for recruitments and limit training. These changes will also result in reduced customer service, delay response time for records requests, limit probation officer’s time with parolees, and limit the city’s print and mail capabilities.
