| Budget freeze revisions reduce cuts to MPD |
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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
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Posted: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 12:01 pm
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Murfreesboro is still looking closely at its budget and trying to find ways to save money during the economic downturn.
Last week, City Manager Roger Haley suggested the city freeze its budget because of lower than expected sales tax collections and rising prices for fuel and electricity.
“Through the first four months of this (fiscal) year, local option sales tax is up just a little over 8 percent,” Haley said. The problem is the city budgeted an increase of between 9 percent and 10 percent.
In total city sales tax collections are down more than $41,000 for the first three months of the fiscal year, Haley said. But consumer confidence may be boosted by the current stock upswing and dropping gas prices, which may increase spending and tax revenues.
At Haley’s request, most departments chose to cut vacant job openings or refrain from new hiring for the time being, but the suggestions didn’t sit well with members of the city council.
In response to a hiring freeze at the Murfreesboro Police Department, the council asked Haley to take a look at other ways to trim down the budget. Haley in turn asked department heads to reconsider new ways to cut costs.
Haley came back to the city council Monday with revised recommendations and asked them to review the information for a discussion at the Thursday, Oct. 23 council meeting.
The new recommendations include measures as simple as turning off lights when employees leave a room or turning down the thermostat during winter and encouraging employees to wear warmer clothes.
Some departments offered to hold off on buying new computers, software and printers until the economy picks back up.
Others offered to reduce trips in order to save gasoline.
The police department suggested postponing the hiring of new officers until March, which would still put more boots on the street, but save the city $129,983.
“We could also eliminate two fully equipped police vehicles … for a savings of $100,000,” Police Chief Glenn Chrisman said.
The administration department also recommended delaying the hire of the new Assistant to the City Manger post for a savings of $35,500.
In all the new recommendations could save the city $743,626 out of its more than $93 million budget.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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