Jan

21

Budget

January 21, 2009 | 4 Comments

The City Manager has released is proposed 2009-2010 budget, and the global recession will certainly have some real consequences here in Kansas City in terms of the city services people are used to receiving.  Some highlights…

A small property tax increase

Increasing various fees, including  water, sewer, and parking

15% reduction in city subsidies for regional facilities like the zoo, sports complex, museums, MAST ambulance, etc. (time for the suburbs to step up and pitch in)

Closing 2 fire department battalions and cutting the police budget by 5%

Cutting curbside recycling to every other week

Closing the Marlborough Community Center in South KC,  the oldest and smallest of the city’s 11 community centers

Closing three swimming pools

Reducing street light maintenance

Cutting 400 city employees, including folks who fill potholes, repair sidewalks, etc.

Freezing salaries and cutting benefits for the remaining city staff

Categories: General


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. Capt. Geoffrey Spaulding on January 21, 2009 10:19 am

    Actually- the FD would close 2 FIRE STATIONS- not 2 battalions.

    A KC-MO FD battalion consists of about 3-4 stations per battalion. Closing 2 battalions would close around 6-8 stations.

    One station closure would be Station 1- located at the old R-G AFB in far south KC-MO..

    Don’t know where the other station closing would be- but I wouldn’t want to live in the area that loses that station for the city is barely covered as it is now.

    Why in the HELL did they hire Chuck Eddy for $140000+ per year is what most Kansas Citians want to know.

    Let Eddy find a REAL job and keep the 4-5 employees his salary will eliminate….

    Cheers-
    Groucho

  2. Sarah on January 21, 2009 11:07 am

    Time to Move to Johnson County! J/K

  3. Daniel on January 21, 2009 1:07 pm

    Cities everywhere are making cuts. For example, Atlanta (very similar to KC in many respects), in 2008 had THREE rounds of job cuts and are closing 22 recreation centers.
    There are many things to consider when looking at what is causing this budget shortfall. My personal favorite however is to give the Northland, with exception of the airports, their own autonomy.

  4. cjt on January 21, 2009 2:22 pm

    Perhaps the city ought to consider installing toll-booths on the highways that pass in and out of town. It wouldn’t need to be too expensive, the service could be automated for the most part (such as the EZPass service used in NY/NJ), and it may help to recuperate some lost revenue.
    Perhaps, also, the Mayor and City Council could set an example for the rest of the community by taking pay cuts.

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