Mayor says Scott's budget is unrealistic

Mayor Ron Littlefield said Wednesday he's willing to reduce his proposed property tax increase -- but not eliminate it -- to reach a budget compromise with the City Council.

He said a budget proposed by Councilwoman Deborah Scott -- which would eliminate the 33 percent property tax increase -- is unrealistic and he will propose an alternative budget next week.

"We'll make another proposal to them," he said. "We'll suggest another solution."

The City Council has been talking for weeks about a proposed property tax increase of 64 cents per $100 of assessed value, a jump that has been met with public criticism. Council members spent Tuesday talking about cuts to the budget, and Mrs. Scott presented a budget with no tax increase.

Mr. Littlefield said he would make his new proposal because he thought the council was "lost in the woods."

He declined to give specifics, but he said the plan would be far more substantial than "cutting out the sandwiches before the council meeting." One thing it won't do is completely cut out any tax increase, he said.

"It's unrealistic to think we can get back to zero," he said.

Mrs. Scott said Wednesday she thinks the city can get to a zero-growth budget. She said there are capital expenses that can be delayed and assets that can be sold.

She said she has gone over the budget line by line and seen that there could be some backlash from keeping the budget the same as last year. But she said she also thinks a report more than a month ago by the city, saying there could be layoffs and City Hall could shut down, is a bit exaggerated.

"Some of the things they would have to do are dead-on correct," she said. "Some of them are ridiculous."

City officials said most of Mrs. Scott's proposals would mean several recreation centers closing and possible layoffs in the Department of Neighborhood Services.

Councilman Peter Murphy said Mrs. Scott's budget was valuable as input to the discussion. He said he didn't agree with drastic cuts to the Department of Parks and Recreation, but he did see some other areas.

"It seems that she and I are on the same page with some departments," he said.

If the mayor gives an alternative budget, Mr. Murphy said he would welcome it as part of the conversation.

"If he's taking another swing at it, and getting it down to something more manageable, that's great," he said.

Councilman Jack Benson said he would like to see if there could be a midpoint between the mayor's alternative budget and Mrs. Scott's.

"I think even with an alternative budget we'd have to see how they come down," he said.

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