City budget workshop open to the public

Facing a nearly $50 million budget gap over the next 19 months, Tempe has joined the ranks of Valley cities scrambling to make cuts.

Tempe's projected shortfall, City Manager Charlie Meyer said, is the result of declining sales tax revenue that could leave the city with a $5 million to $10 million sales tax revenue shortfall by the fiscal year's end, the state potentially withholding state-shared revenues, poor returns on city investments and the trickle down effects of a frozen national economy.

Months ago, Tempe began preparing for an impending budget crisis and placed three department heads in charge of gathering budget-saving ideas. Meyer also encouraged Tempe staff to offer their input and received more than 700 suggestions.

The culmination of those budget ideas were presented to the City Council last week. Perhaps the most controversial suggestion was Meyer's proposal to cut nearly 180 jobs over the next 19 months. The idea drew worries because Meyer acknowledged it would be difficult to target that many jobs without layoffs.

The elimination of jobs, salary caps, more than 80 staff reorganization suggestions, how to apply Tempe's $8 million rainy day fund and a host of other budget issues will be reviewed by City Council and the city's employee groups and unions at a public budget workshop Monday.

Some specific suggestions include cutting more than a dozen police and fire positions, reducing full-time library staff by at least three people, eliminating the Police Department's recently hired diversity administrator and starting a Tempe ambulance service.

Council members Onnie Shekerjian and Ben Arredondo said they are seeking input from Tempe residents and invited people with ideas or questions to attend the workshop or future council meetings to offer their thoughts.