Politics & Government
Loma Linda Mulling Cuts to Police, City Staff
Proposed cuts would fill an estimated $860,000 budget shortfall.
A proposed 2011-12 budget introduced by Loma Linda’s city manager includes cuts to staffing, some police services and implementing furloughs in an effort to fill an estimated deficit of more than $866,000.
City Manager T. Jarb Thaipejr discussed the proposed cuts and the city’s financial standing with the city’s budget committee Tuesday night.
Revenues continue to drop while expenditures, which include the cost of the city’s maintenance, police and fire services and its contribution to the California Public Employees Retirement System, continue to increase according to a city report.
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The budget proposed cutting police presence at night by one officer, leaving four during the day and one at night, Thaipejr said.
It could also cut the Community Development Director position left open by the retirement of now former director Deborah Woldruff, Thaipejr said.
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“The position could be replaced with lower level positions,” he said.
That move alone could save the city more than $173,500, according to the report. Furloughs could shave hundreds of thousands more as employees take two weeks of unpaid leave.
Thaipejr said they might also cut one more city position and cut back on the animal control services that the county provides though a contract.
Under the proposed budget, employees would make a 7 percent contribution to the Public Employee Retirement System instead of the city, officials said.
“I’m just presenting a balanced budget,” Thaipejr said. In a perfect financial environment there would be no cuts, but the city and many of its neighbors are just not there yet, he said.
The city is working with a $14 million budget this year. They have been able to maintain $3.5 million in reserves and $1.25 million for an equipment replacement fund.
The cuts leave a cushion of $7,000 between expenses and revenues, leaving practically nothing to add to the reserves, Thiapejr said.
The committee members were in agreement that the cuts were needed. Loma Linda University Medical Center Security already keeps an eye out on the streets surrounding the medical facility, said committee member Robert Frost.
“That helps and could justify cutting there,” Frost said.
There is still a lot of work to be done before this budget passes, Thaipejr said. He will be addressing staff in the coming week. He will also be working with the employee union and the city council to hammer out a budget, he said.
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