After almost five hours of budget talks, the Columbus City Council is slightly closer to its goal of having a balanced budget.
The long day of budget talks chopped the city’s projected deficit in almost in half, with cuts in police, information technology and public works departments accounting for most of the reductions. On paper, the deficit shrank from $1.6 million to $835,638.
The council, along with Chief Financial Officer Mike Bernsen and Chief Operations Officer David Armstrong, started the work session by hearing more than an hour of requests for appropriated funds. Among the agencies at least partially funded by the city include Main Street Columbus, Columbus-Lowndes Economic Development Link and the American Red Cross.
“We are asking for an increase in our budget from $100,000 to $150,000,” said Link CEO Joe Max Higgins. “We asked for a $40,000 increase and we did not receive it. The additional $10,000 will be used in support of the Columbus Air Force Base as the BRAC talks are going to start up again soon. We didn’t receive this money last year and we had to make some cuts.”
According to Bernsen, the appropriations requested for the Fiscal Year 2013 budget totaled $1,550,886, which is an increase of more than $377,000 from 2012. The appropriations request made up approximately 6.2 percent of the budget.
The council, at the suggestion of Mayor Robert Smith, decided to keep the appropriations at the same level of funding as 2012 with the exception of the $10,000 BRAC support money. That will mean the city will fund the Link at $110,000.
The main debate of the session centered around the requests for additional employees and equipment in the police and public works departments.
“These are drastic times and we have to take drastic measures,” said Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin. “I know we need personnel and equipment, but we have to cut something.”
“But we do not need to cut services,” Mayor Robert Smith argued.
Police Chief Selvain McQueen had initially asked for 10 new police cars during the “wish list” phase of the budget process. After that number was trimmed to four by Smith, Bernsen and Armstrong, the council cut the four cars from the new budget. McQueen was also challenged by the council on his budgeted overtime and request for new officers.
“In other law enforcement agencies, they charge for certain services,” McQueen said. “We don’t recoup anything from all of these festivals we provide security for and it comes out of my budget. If you cut our overtime, you are going to be cutting some services.”
McQueen was given approval earlier in the year to hire three new positions, including another assistant chief and a unit commander. Box suggested the council eliminate two of the new positions.
“I say we leave the commander and do away with the other two,” Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box said. “We have to make some cuts.”
“We’ve already cut his equipment — so you guys are going to cut his personnel, too?” Smith asked.
Public Works Department Director Mike Pratt was also scrutinized by the council for his request for both new hires and new equipment.
“I know y’all need this stuff, but I’m really concerned as to how we are going to pay for it,” Gavin said.
Bernsen was blunt with the council and the department heads as the budget continued to be trimmed.
“The only way to fund this kind of increase is to raise ad valorem taxes,” Bernsen said. “If we are increasing services, we have to raise taxes.”
Armstrong concurred with Bernsen.
“At some point, you’re going to have to bite the bullet — is it going to be this year?” asked Armstrong. “If you want it, you are going to have to pay for it. We really do need some more people and some more equipment.”
Bernsen said the city, which spends about $2.2 in operation costs, was having a hard time climbing out of the recession.
“This was the year we were supposed to see a big increase, but we are flat,” Bernsen said. “We have less citizens wanting more services.”
The council will meet again later next week to continue its budget talks. Armstrong said the budget should be completed next week.
“We need to have this finished next week,” he said. “We need to pass the millage rate on Sept. 6 and pass the budget on Sept. 13.”
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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