Translate[Archived] Question #48: Can you please provide an update of FY 17 Budget Memo 14 Reduction Proposals Not Taken?
Question:
Can you please provide an update of FY 17 Budget Memo 14 Reduction Proposals Not Taken?
Response:
Early in the FY 2018 budget process, staff estimated a $25 million budget shortfall due to slow revenue growth and high-demand expenditure needs, particularly in the areas of school enrollment, Metro operating and capital costs, and capital infrastructure needs. To address this shortfall, the City Manager and the Office of Management and Budget instructed departments to develop expenditure reduction options equal to 5% of their FY 2017 General Fund budgets (excluding some public safety sworn positions), resulting in over $10 million in expenditure reduction options. Nearly half of those reductions were included in the proposed budget as efficiency savings or lower priority service reductions. The remainder were considered but not included in the FY 2018 Proposed Budget because they represent and support priority programs and services whose funding was warranted for continuation in comparison to other competing reductions and potential additions. Given the difficulty in balancing the budget and meeting the needs of the City, ACPS, Metro, and State mandates for FY 2018, if any of the remaining reductions had been determined to have no detrimental impact on City operations or community services, they would have already been taken in the proposed budget. Additionally, some of the reductions include the elimination of positions filled by employees who did not get the benefit of Reduction in Force (RIF) counseling and assistance provided to those whose positions were eliminated in the proposed budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Reduction Proposals Not Taken