KING5.com
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 8:46 PM
Updated yesterday at 10:32 PM
TACOMA -- An independent audit of the Tacoma's city budget showed the shortfall was bigger than first thought, by more than $1 million.
To help close the $33 million gap, the council may have to cut 100 police and fire positions.
"The thing about revenue that's challenging is that we don't have much control over it," said Mayor Marilyn Strickland. "So what we really have to do is control our expenses."
Citizens concerned about public safety and?employees who worry about their jobs?packed the council chambers Tuesday night after hearing the grim news earlier in the day. The auditor, Hebert Research of Bellevue, said while revenues are growing slightly by some $3 million, expenditures are exploding by tens of millions.
"You are looking at, yes, a huge gap and I must say, I don't envy the task you have ahead of you," Hebert's Cynthia Sullivan Hebert told the council.
But there is some relief in sight. The council held a hearing on setting up a transportation benefit district. It would allow the city to tack on a $20 fee on car license tabs to help fund transportation repairs. Those costs normally come from the city's general fund. So, a district would be able to raise its own revenues, and not touch the general fund, which pays for fire and police.
Citizen Jori Atkins urged the council to approve it.
"I decided I had to come tonight and say we need to have something like this. We need to have some way to have some kind of income coming into the city," said Atkins.
Officials say if passed, the district could start collecting tab fees in July and bring in $1.2 million this year.
The city is also? talking to police and fire unions to possibly adjust contracts in order to save jobs. Dozens of police officers and firefighters had been told last month they would likely be out of a job, including Emmanuel Hearne.
"It's a bit confusing. ?I thought I'd have a job for a while," said Hearne Tuesday night.
Hearne speaks proudly of his service, saying he helped save a life in his first five minutes on the job this past August.? The 24-year-old ex-Marine had moved to Tacoma after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and never thought he'd be in a fight for his job already.
"I was expecting to have a long career," says Hearne, "And I?still do." ?
Source: http://www.king5.com/home/Tacoma-budget-cuts-137067373.html
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