Budget ideasHi Myrt
Since we will be talking budget this coming Monday, I have some ideas
for reduction I intend to ask. I thought I would give them to you today
so that some answers could be prepared. Can you work on the following
for me since they have some support among council members.
1. What would be the cost savings by reducing all non-union
employees salaries by 5% and 7%. This includes dept heads and council
members.
2. What would be the cost savings by going to a 35 hour work week
by all hourly employees? What conflict does this cause with union
employees.
3. Immediately Eliminating ALL consultant contracts. Please give
us a list of all consultant contracts and their amounts.
4. Does any airport money or manager salary come from the general
fund? If so, how much?
5. Can we suspend or sunset any TIFF districts? If you look at the
taxes going into the TIFF districts and not the general fund we would
not be in this financial position. These funds are taking tax dollars
we desperately need right now.
6. Can we look at borrowing from the TIFF funds? This has been
asked in the past with the answer that if would be possible but not a
task the finance department wanted to take on. We need staff to prepare
a plan to use money from these funds in the general fund. There should
be no reason we can’t borrow this money at 0%
7. Eliminate the 4% wage increase that that is in the current
budget. That is if it took effect. In the past I believe council has
voted on wage increases however Jim Patrick never brought this forward
to council. Have you been able to find our how this was passed by
council and if it went into effect?
Thanks Myrt for your help. I look forward to hearing the answers.
Tim Kluesner