The proposed 2012 city general fund budget as it stands today burns up $1 million in cash reserves and includes a reduction in police officers and firefighters, less snow plowing and no employees raises.
It does not include a property tax increase.
If city leaders decide to keep taxes the same and have a balanced budget, then drastic cuts could be made, such as closing the David Traylor Zoo, the Jones Aquatic Center, the Emporia Municipal Golf Course and laying off several city employees.
After three months of working on it, the Emporia City Commission is now saddled with having to choose from several unpleasant budget options in the next two weeks. No decisions were made Wednesday beyond agreeing to talk about it again Monday.
The proposed budget has a $1.06 million deficit and cash reserves of 10.2 percent, which is less than the usual 15 percent reserve rate. The city is projected to bring in $17.73 million in revenue in 2012 and spend $18.79 million.
As a result, the city’s cash balance would shrink from $2.57 million at the end of this year to $1.51 million at the end of 2012. The city had more than $3 million in cash reserves at the end of 2010 so essentially the savings account could be cut in half in two years.
Commissioner Joel Phipps said he is not comfortable with spending $1 million dollars more than what is brought in. He said he wants a balanced budget with no deficit. Though not necessarily coming out in favor of it, he floated the idea of a three-mill tax increase.
“All five of us said we had no interest in raising property taxes unless it’s a situation that’s unavoidable,” Phipps said. “Is it now unavoidable? I don’t want to increase property taxes anymore than the next person, but I don’t like the idea of a $1 million deficit budget. That’s a slope we don’t want to be sledding down.”
While it’s not their first choice, Mayor Kevin Nelson and Commissioner Bobbi Mlynar said they now may be open to a small tax increase to reduce the deficit.
Commissioners Rob Gilligan and Jim Kessler said they were less inclined to vote for a property tax hike and employee layoffs when there is money sitting in reserve.
Kessler said if they raise taxes three mills, layoff staff and cut another $150,000 from the budget, they could probably make up the $1 million without touching the reserves.
“But then people will say ‘our taxes went up, you laid people off, and you have $2 to $3 million sitting in the bank,’” Kessler said. “These are hard times, but that’s what reserves are for.”
A three-mill property tax increase would raise about $425,000. Assessed valuation has decreased the last three years so by keeping the mill rate steady, some people have being paying less city taxes, Phipps said.
Nelson said they can swallow the deficit and hope next year looks better. Then again that was the commission’s strategy a year ago.
“We can’t throw away this year and hope next year’s better,” he said
Phipps and Mlynar also mentioned they preferred trying to attack the budget problems now instead of playing wait and see.
However, Kessler said he has the same philosophy as a year ago.
“I would be willing to submit to a deficit budget with the idea that we will make part of it up and because that is what reserves are for,” he said. “Whether I could live with a million dollars, I don’t think I could quite do that.”
The cut list
The budget deficit was larger two weeks ago. The second draft of the budget had a $2.3 million budget deficit. Commissioners July 27 instructed City Manager Matt Zimmerman to reduce the reserve, eliminate merit pay for staff and suggest other cuts.
The cut list Zimmerman came up with shaves $1.19 million from the budget. Though the cuts were painful, commissioners said they were necessary.
The biggest dollar cuts were $229,162 by eliminating four vacant police officers, $200,000 for putting off a storm water utility study and $133,456 to eliminate merit pay. Other notable cut list items are $99,261 to eliminate two vacant firefighter positions, $35,000 less for snow removal and $44,304 to reduce judge and prosecutor duties.
Outside agencies made the cut list too. The $10,000 allocation to the William Allen White Community Partnership was cut, a $12,000 request from Emporia Arts Council was ignored and Main Street’s request for an additional $10,000 was not funded.
Although not part of the current cut list, Zimmerman said another $277,250 can be saved by reducing staff; eliminating the pool subsidy to the Emporia Recreation Commission saves $30,000.
Reducing the number of police officers could have several implications in terms of response, investigations and community service.
Zimmerman said he doesn’t like cutting police and fire but there are opportunities to cut there that don’t exist elsewhere. He said the staff reduction amounts to 9 percent of the police department staff.
Kessler said the population of Emporia has decreased so there are fewer people for police and fire to serve.
Commissioner did identify a couple of smaller things to cut expenses. The $191,000 budgeted for narrow banding communication equipment seemed too high. Gilligan suggested scaling that back to $100,000.
He also suggested transferring $12,000 for signal emitters to the city’s multi-year fund and looking at holding off other capital projects.
The general fund discussion will continue at 9 a.m. Monday along with a review of several other city funds during a special commission work session which is open to the public.
bubbadleroy (anonymous) says...
Sounds like a winner to me. Cut out the subsidies to the airport, golf course, zoo, and the swimming pool.
Back to reality that this town is a 2nd class town and quit trying to pass it off as a 1st class town.
So what if the golfers have to play in some uncut grass, or on a brown dried out faiway, live with it or stay home.
So what if the airport has 2 employees instead of 3.
Check it out, you'll see.
Raise the fees for swimming or stay home and sweat. Piss pool anyway!!
The zoo? Charge a fee to get in and see how many pay up. Damn few I'd say. Once they have seen it it is old news then.
Once the city has a reserve of 20 or 30 million then start with infrastructure repair. Until then, quit stealing my money.
August 11, 2011 at 4:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bubbadleroy (anonymous) says...
Let me rephrase that stealing my money comment.
I'll call it creative thievery.
August 11, 2011 at 5 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Taxation is slavery--local state federal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7jwml...
August 11, 2011 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
just when i thought it was safe to go in the water.....
August 11, 2011 at 5:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Something to think about.
http://chesterfield.patch.com/article...
August 11, 2011 at 8:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Spend less money...One commission person told me that the national economy would not have any effect on the city budget.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rep2/auste...
August 11, 2011 at 8:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Financial survival.
http://bobchapman.blogspot.com/2011_0...
August 11, 2011 at 9:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
OMG
August 11, 2011 at 9:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fedupwithcomments (anonymous) says...
well, the commissioners don't really want the PUBLIC opinion..Neither do any of the other so called Emporia "leaders". I emailed them all about a month ago and the only two I heard back from were Phipps and Gilligan. At least they acknowledged this poor white girl!
August 11, 2011 at 10:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
CREATE, you are one of my most favorite people and you know that---please view this video called don't look back. One of these days the taxpayers of EMPORIA are going to be coming out of bondage and going throhttp://chuckbaldwinlive.com/home/?p=3814ugh the red sea.
August 11, 2011 at 11:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
http://chuckbaldwinlive.com/home/?p=3814
August 11, 2011 at 11:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pingeon (anonymous) says...
link lunacy again....
August 12, 2011 at 12:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rabblerouser (anonymous) says...
Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure!
Think:
The things we have to have and can not live without!
The things that we need to keep life bearable and things running!
The things we would like to have, but can do without until better times!
The things that do not make sense in a down economy!
Infrastructure to make Emporia more friendly to incoming businesses and families!
August 12, 2011 at 6:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Just had the 1st chuckle of the day.
Read the Gazette poll on the city budget.
Instead of tax increase, one of the choices included
"revenue enhancements" .
Now that's funny right there.
August 12, 2011 at 7:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
reddog, yes, I know. But ease up on so many links. Post an occasional link with a comment in your own words how that link relates to the discussion at hand. For example, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, what do you think of the city putting property taxes on the table? Do you think it would be more fair to use the sales tax instead so everybody could pay for projects instead of only the property owners?
If the people in my neighborhood decided to have a giant picnic to celebrate the coming of Fall and cooler weather, should each family bring a covered dish, or should all the neighbors expect that only the corner lots bring all the food and beverages?
August 12, 2011 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Create,
Thing is that there are a lot of folks like me that avoid shopping here at all costs. Property tax is the only way they are gonna get me, and if they start that game I'm moving closer to work. Property is so overvalued here it's ridiculous. I can get more for my dollar in the metro areas AND have access to better schools, stores, etc. Only thing holding me here was cheap living, and I can see the writing on the wall where that is going.
August 12, 2011 at 9:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Its cheaper to drive out to the service center to buy gas and pay the .25 toll.
$3.29 there and $3.49 here the last I checked
August 12, 2011 at 10:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
create,
We tried that neighborhood picnic thing.
Didn't work out.
That little ole widow woman I told you about a while back brought a casserole that looked a lot like "Fancy Feast".
Then another neighbor and I got into an argument over one of my posts on here ending in a fist fight.
Our wives tried to pull us apart and each one ended up with a black eye. To top it all off the little old widow stole all the beer while we were fighting.
Oh well !
;>)
August 12, 2011 at 11:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
p.s i did get the metaphor.
August 12, 2011 at 11:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Thanks, Steve, I figured you would.
Eeeek, Steve, you live in a crappy neighborhood. :)
goodoleboy, I see your position, but you are the exception rather than the rule. More folks shop at home here than don't.
August 12, 2011 at 1:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
romano1784 (anonymous) says...
Actually Create a lot of people are going to Topeka to shop. More so than those that shop here, unless you count walmart as local shopping. You can get more for your dollar away from emporia than you can in it.
August 13, 2011 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wichitawings (anonymous) says...
Cut costs, I'm all for that, should have built the aquatic center in town where it would have gotten some use, hardly anybody goes out there. Cut costs at the Golf Course, all for that too. There is definitely too much money spent on fuel to mow the areas that receive no play what so ever. It's all a management issue with who oversees the superintendent. As far as the Zoo??? don't have an answer, I do think a tax increase in this uncertain revenue climate is bad, as romano1784 said people are going out of town now to buy things. I myself usually wait until I go to Wichita as the sales tax is so much lower there.
August 14, 2011 at 8:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )