they want to fire garbage collectors, close the library and hire MORE COPS!!!!!! these government tyrannts on the phoenix city council need to be tarred and feathered and ran out of town!!!! Original Article City explores budget cuts Even public safety could feel impact of $68.7 mil deficit Ginger D. Richardson The Arizona Republic Feb. 2, 2005 12:00 AM Phoenix City Council members said Tuesday that they hope to exclude the city's police officers and firefighters from the millions of dollars in budget cuts that could cost some city employees their jobs and will certainly impact services that residents use every day. But, unlike previous years, council members indicated that they would consider reductions to the two public safety departments' overall budgets, a major shift in philosophy from previous years. "I support not cutting any (public safety) positions," Councilwoman Peggy Bilsten said. "But I think we need to consider cuts to both departments like we do everyone else, and I know it's probably politically incorrect to say that." City officials have traditionally left the city's police and fire departments - two of the city's largest - intact, preferring instead to make more draconian cuts in other areas. But being faced with a $68.7 million deficit tends to change things. In addition to public safety, the city is considering a host of cost-cutting measures that range from minor reductions like not purchasing new materials or furniture, to the very severe, such as closing libraries on Fridays, shutting down public swimming pools earlier and doing less street maintenance and repair. Program reductions and personnel cuts will be decided by March 1. They could result in layoffs, depending on which programs are recommended for elimination and whether enough employees volunteer for early retirements. "I support our public safety personnel," Councilwoman Peggy Neely said. "But I think we need to look at our large departments and make sure they are working in the most efficient manner possible." The police and fire departments have a combined budget of more than $574 million this year, well over half of the city's $930 million General Fund. Among the departments expected to be the hardest hit is parks and recreation, which has the third-largest annual budget. Options for that department range from reducing ground maintenance at parks, to cutting community center hours and closing some after-school programs. City officials say the cuts are necessary because projected revenues aren't growing as fast as skyrocketing costs. The financial woes are being caused by a host of factors, including health, benefit and compensation packages for employees; the need to pour more money into the city's pension fund, which has lost money as the economy has struggled; and new expenses, like the hiring of police officers and firefighters. Previous year budget cuts, in which the city shaved a total of $105 million, are also having a huge impact as well. For example, each city department usually has money left over at the end of any given year that it can then roll over and use to fund programs in the next year. But when officials began trimming the budgets three or four years ago, those savings eventually were eaten up. City Council members on Tuesday agreed to a series of emergency measures expected to help ease the burden by giving the city more money. They include making cuts before the start of the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, as well as increasing the proportion of state gas tax funds that the city is funneling to the street transportation department and decreasing the amount of property tax revenue that goes toward paying off debt. The city's property tax rate will not change. Council members also made it clear that any proposed reductions to the city's portion of state shared revenue, which it receives from the state Legislature could have a drastic impact on Phoenix's financial picture. Conversely, they said, residents could help improve the budget woes by purchasing big items in the city, instead of in surrounding communities, which would allow Phoenix to collect the sales tax revenue. City officials will ask residents to weigh in on the proposed budget changes in early March. The recommendations will take effect May 23. Reach the reporter at ginger.richardson@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2474.