City debates over how to chop $45M from budget

See Story at: http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2010/01/28/news/local_news/localnews03.txt

With rising police pension costs and declining tax revenue, City of St. Louis leaders must chop $45 million off the this years $453.9 million annual budget.

The prospective cuts, adding up to $59.7 million, include reducing garbage pick-up to once a week, combining training for City firefighters and police with St. Louis County, and eliminating 26 park rangers, contract recreation programs, 30 middle-management positions and cable television.

It would also decrease subsidies to programs including drug courts, Teach for America, ARCHS After School and domestic violence shelters.

The Board of Aldermen met in committee Tuesday for the first phase of discussion, and a finalized budget will be completed by July 1.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Board of Aldermen
• St. Louis
• budget
• 2011
• Steve Conway
• Ways and Means Committee
• Barbara Geisman
• Paul Payne
• Antonio French
• Marlene Davis
• Jeffrey Boyd
• Deputy mayor for development

[stlsteve69]

This is frightening to think these are the people who run our city! They better stay away from the police dept or this city will crumble!

[danrather1]

The sad thing is that in a city that has the best fire protection in eastern Missouri and NEEDS the a strong police presence, this is where you cut first. There is no way to adjust the firefighter schedule at its current manpower. If you are to cut 10% cut everyone by 10%. If you are reducing pensions, reduce everyone's pension. The city makes capital improvements that are wasteful are the time. Grand Ave comes to mind.

[StLSouthSider]

Let me get this straight. The options include keeping the City Cable Channel and their amateur programing on the air, while reducing the staffing levels of both the Police Department and Fire Department endangering both responders and the public?

You have GOT to be kidding me!

[smheinrichs]

This is one of the scariest videos i have ever seen --these people couldnt be in charge of our great city are they? These people cant even stand each other. By the way that chick should just go home.

[12packman]

What a dumbass!! Explain to me how rearranging the shifts will reduce the number of hours in a 24 hour day!! And this BS coming from a douche who is ON HIS DAY OFF JOB!!!!

How many people at the city "WORKHOUSE" would be willing to get out of their cellblocks during the day to cut grass in the parks or drive a trash truck? After all, aren't they supposed to be PAYING a debt to society?

[irishman28281]

How about cutting some of the useless alderman.  We have the same number now that we had when the population was nearly 1 million. Think it is time for some of them to go.