There’s a lot of dollars up for discussion at City Hall tomorrow. The City Council is scheduled for a four-hour capital facilities plan workshop starting at 10 a.m.
At 7 p.m., the council reconvenes to tackle proposed capital projects reductions, proposed additional funding for a code update project and priorities for federal transportation funding.
See my story about the proposed capital cuts below.
Deep cuts planned for city capital projects
By Tristan Baurick
The City Council will vote on a proposal to slash $2.8 million worth of capital projects tomorrow in an effort to balance a budget hit with unexpected revenue shortfalls.
The proposed cuts include $400,000 for road preservation work, $120,000 for new trails, a $10,000 roof repair for the senior center and $75,000 to plan the senior center’s expansion.
Finance Director Elray Konkel said none of the cuts were easy. But the city, he added, is faced with a simple money problem.
“We just don’t have the cash,” he said.
The reductions were initiated after the city forecasted a $2.5 million revenue decline largely due to a weakening housing market.
At $1.5 million, the largest line item in the capital reduction plan is for the purchase of the Quay Bainbridge apartment complex. The city had already backed out of a deal that would have preserved the 70 units as affordable housing when the property’s value was appraised at far less than its asking price.
The city also included in its capital reductions plan various
projects that earned grant funding. Grants allowed the city to save
$143,000 in contributions to the Japanese-American internment
memorial and $216,000 for an Eagle Harbor shoreline restoration
project.
The city has already cut $700,000 from its operating budget and put a lock on $500,000 worth of contingency funds.
Despite the sizable reductions already made and proposed for capital projects, additional cuts loom. Konkel estimates the city will need to slice off an additional half million dollars in order to balance its budget.
The council is scheduled to vote on capital project reductions tomorrow at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Call to Recall Mayor K. You run the ship of state on the rocks and you are relieved of command. End of story.
YouTube: Deceit deception recall Bainbridge.
VOTE
A fall in revenue is only part of the problem. The city has been spending it’s money in a foolish, reckless manner for several years. There is no financial mangement, review, or oversight going on. What is tragic is that only three of the seven council members seem to understand this.