The first 9 items will bring in $165,817 and the next 2 items equal $156,000 totaling $321,812 or 63% of the promised LGA for 2009. If they cut more than 63% of the promised LGA than step 12 gets looked at.
24% of 2008 LGA was cut just a few days ago - totaling $112,000 that the City is absorbing by using general fund reserves that can not be used in 2009. The total amount the City is absorbing in the first 11 adjustments and the 2008 LGA cut is $433,817. Our total budget for 2009 is $3,407,000. We are losing an equivalent to 13% of our budget before we look at step 12.
Everyone will have things they do not like in the situation we have been placed in by the state's failure.
2009 Budget expenditures by percentage:
Public Safety - 32%
General Government - 26%
Public Works - 17%
Debt payments - 13% down from over 18%
Park and Recreation - 6%
Capital Outlay - 3%
Transfers/Misc - 3%
We have been working the last few years to drive down our City debt to improve Isanti fiscal health. We will continue to drive down City debt to alleviate this burden from our City Taxpayers.
3 more quick points... There would be no need for any of this if either the State lived up to its promises or if the delinquent taxpayers - especially developers- paid their taxes.
The City is still attracting new business to town and the growth of our tax and job base over the long run makes our dependence on the state or any handle full of taxpayers less important. This has been a trend over the last few years and will continue into the future.
The last point is we are planning for at least a 50% cut in LGA/Homestead Credit reimbursement. If it is less than that then we will be able to back fill in funds that were cut.
5 comments:
George,
Numbers, statistics, can be construed in many ways to paint a picture one wants. It is a given that the state is not in good financial shape, the promise LGA money will most likely be less than what is promised.
Public Safety, as you stated, is 32% of the budget. To me Public Safety is EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement. What is included in that 32% as you stated. Where does the funds the city pays to the Fire District come from....Public Safety? Do the tax payers pay anything towards EMS Service???
Public Safety is a great concern for all, especially in times of hardship. We all know that a certain segment of the population will take what they cant afford from the people that have; inm other words the potential for increased crime. As you have stated in previous postings, crime was reportedly down....my direct correlation for this is the GREAT Police Presence that is in Isanti. When I travel through town, very regularly I see an Officer out patroling...that is great! Police Department, keep up the good work!
To sum it all up...The Police Department and Fire District are one of the last, I mean last places to look in cutting services. Because if they are not in tack, the risk of injury or death increases exponentially!!!
Thank you Mayor Wimmer and the Finance Committee for the hard work put in to figure these numbers out.
I only wish the county and school board would step up and follow Isanti's lead. I can not believe the county is still looking at raising taxes.
I hope you are not insinuating that I want the numbers to show a cut in the police department. When I was first elected to the City Council the Police Department was operating out of a former hair salon using equipment from the stone age and using office chairs that looked to be the former home of rodents.
The numbers are $138,051 for the fire district payment and $922,898 for the police department. The City does not pay for EMS.
I agree with your last point and that is why any potential cut in officers is one of the last items on the list.
The items listed after this structural change are one time funds. The capital improvement fund buys things like police equipment and cars along with city plows. The Revolving loan fund helps grow our business tax base so we are not relying on the state. these actions are more drastic for the long term health of the city.
The police portion only is 27% of the budget.
You are doing a great job George. Don't let them get you down. These are tough times for everyone and I am proud you are our Mayor.
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