From the Tempe Newsroom:
City Manager Charlie Meyer’s plan (available at www.tempe.gov/budgetplan) is based on $30 million in reductions and revenue-generating ideas put forward by the city’s department managers in late December. The current proposal includes a variety of cost-cutting and revenue-generating ideas for the City Council’s consideration. Among them are workforce reductions, reduced hours at city facilities, program eliminations and new fees for some services. The measures proposed in the plan address how the city could correct a $30 million deficit that, without intervention, would occur in 2010-11 and in each year for the foreseeable future.
Specific Parks and Recreation/Community Services reductions that are proposed include:
- Closing the McClintock High School pool to public swimming
- Reducing in Tempe Public Library hours from 70 to 56. Currently the library is open seven 10-hour days. The new operating hours are to be determined, but they would be a combination that adds up to 56
- Closing the Cahill Senior Center at the Westside Multi-Generational Center and eliminating Sunday hours at the North Tempe Multi-Generational Center
- Increasing Kid Zone fees by $2 a week
- Eliminating counseling services to underserved and uninsured
- Reducing the number of youth sports programs
This month, Tempe employees and community members will have opportunities to learn about Meyer’s proposal and offer their feedback at a series of forums to be held around the city. Two community forums are scheduled for next week including:
- Monday, Feb. 22, from 6-8 p.m. at the Escalante Center, in the Senior Center
- Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at South Tempe Police Substation
Final Council approval of the budget will be in May. The 2010-11 fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2011.
The City Council has agreed to move forward with a May 18 General Election ballot measure asking residents if they want to approve a two-tenths of a percent sales tax increase beginning July 1. The language for the ballot measure will include an exemption for grocery purchases and a four-year lifespan for the tax.
Visit www.tempe.gov/budgetplan for Meyer’s full proposal, information on the February forums, a list of upcoming City Council budget discussions, a recap of the fall 2009 budget process, a feedback form, and access to the online comments submitted to date from employees and community members.
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