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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Council explores long-term budget issues
by Kathleen Haley, published on June 2, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Storyline: City Budget
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The Sacramento City Council discussed Thursday how to make major changes to city operations in the next few years to resolve the city’s long-term imbalance where costs outpace revenues.
The city’s $39 million gap for the 2011/2012 fiscal year is part of an ongoing trend of budget shortfalls. Multi-million budget gaps will remain until fiscal year 2015/2016 as a result of the city’s imbalanced finances, according to predictions by city officials.
“We need to set the expectation of what the City Council wants to provide for the residents and the businesses of this city,” Interim Deputy City Manager Betty Masuoka said.
Seven council members were at the budget meeting – Mayor Kevin Johnson and Councilman Kevin McCarty were absent. Some of the council members said they wanted to explore the long-term budget problems on a regular basis after the budget is approved June 21.
The topic of city services was discussed during the meeting.
“We don’t even really have to be a full-service city,” Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said, “but we have to maintain core services.”
Councilman Rob Fong said the City Council should examine the ways the city administers services.
“We need to look at how we deliver the services that our citizens have come to expect,” Fong said. “So, what I would ask is that we take a strong look with our best thinkers ... and say, ‘Shake the Etch A Sketch up ... erase the white board.’ ”
Councilman Steve Cohn said that discussions about how to change the city and its budget should involve the rank-and-file workers. He questioned the format of Thursday’s meeting, saying that the council should consider meeting with workers in a format that is less formal than a City Council meeting in which council members sit on a dais or stage.
Councilman Jay Schenirer asked Masuoka to draft a schedule for council members to work on the long-term budget problems.
Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.
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Rob, glad to hear you finally came out of your coma. Things have been happening in the news while you were away. Turns out Tiger Woods had a few girlfriends on the side, a guy named Obama got a job and then Nancy Pelosi lost hers, and Osama bin Laden was caught hanging out in Pakistan.
Oh yeah. I should also mention that Sacramento City Council has been in perpetual budget crisis for 5 years now (even before the economic downturn). You didn't hear about this "economic downturn" either? ... well fyi, it is now approaching its 4th year soon.
All the money that was wasted through city council inaction during the last 4-5 years has just made this years budget that much more difficult to balance. Now that you are back with us, please size city government to available revenues, take on the unions, and quit kicking the can down the road.
I know LuxeLife lifestyle profiles, enhancing your gawdy tie collection, and bizarre Arizona boycotts are fun distractions from the humdrum of actually doing the people's business. But how about you focus on the budget for a few months while you are awake?
I agree with Councilmember Sheedy, we do not have be a full-service city. Reasonable trimming of some services needs to be done. I would suggest the elemination of paramedic units attached to the fire department. These are certainly used, but there are far more units in the private sector and they respond to the majority of ambalatory calls. Contracting with the private sector EMS units for this service will save money, eliminate euipment, maintenance, upkeep, and will ultimately eliminate manpower and payroll as well as a decrease in pension payouts in the future. The people who are displaced by this move will find employment in the private sector with no trouble.
Institute 401k's for all city employees. Healthcare benefits should be on par with the private sector with city employee contributions in line with the private sector.
Because the revenue stream is so undependable, which has been demonstrated for the past 5 years changes must be made to all employee union contracts. Any mention of pay and allowances should be removed from all city employee union contracts. There is no constant other than change. We cannot continue throwing the dice and hoping for a big payday. We must live within the means given to us and that means that we cannot be held to contracts that will place our citizens in peril due to unrealistic contracted obligations.
All waste or trash should be in a bag or appropriate container. Nothing should be in the street to eventually plug our storm drains. Leaves, grass clippings, trimmings and other debris account for over 90% of our flooded streets during inclimate weather, placing homes in peril. Stop this practice and we will realize a savings in the dispatch of crews and the overtime associated with those events.
Charge fees as indicated by LisaB23. I will even go so far as to say, charge fees for the responce of any and all emergency units involved if such responce was necessary because of an act of negligence.
Make greater use of volunteers. Give volunteers greater responsibilty and expanded duties. Remove any limitations on the use of volunteers from all city employee union contracts.
Increase the elgible age of retirement from 55 to 60 on for all city employees without exception.