By Paul Minnis, The Republic
pminnis@therepublic.com
Four full-time and 18 part-time employees will lose their city government jobs in 2009, a sign Columbus officials think they are out of alternatives.
The City Council will consider those cuts as part of the proposed city budget for 2009, which is up for a first reading today and a final reading Nov. 25.
The budget calls for $27.2 million in general fund expenditures, down 9.8 percent from $30.2 million in 2008.
General fund money comes from property taxes and accounts for the biggest share of the overall city budget, which was $51.9 million in 2008 and is proposed at $46.3 million in 2009. That's a reduction of 10.9 percent.
Private consultant Crowe Chizek had recommended the city cut 10 percent to be safe.
City officials have to make the cuts, because state officials lowered property taxes, meaning cities and counties will have to get by with less money.
City Budget Consultant Oakel Hardy said any leftover money in 2009 would be divided among the funds to help with expenses the following year.
"Cutting personnel was the last place we wanted to go for cuts," Hardy said. "It came to the point where we did everything else."
Full-time personnel cuts would eliminate the Parks Department's athletics facilities laborer, the Fire Department's mechanics assistant, a City Garage sanitation driver and the PAAL director.
The elimination of the PAAL director was announced previously as part of the end of city funding for the PAAL program.
Police also will not replace the parking meter attendant who left in June, leaving just one attendant, said CPD Maj. Matt Myers.
Part-time cuts would eliminate 10 school crossing guards, four park patrol officers, a police secretary and one employee each from community development, fire and planning departments.
Departments permanently employ some people part time and some temporarily, such as life guards at the city pool in the summer.
Hardy said the 18 part-time positions to be cut - and the four full-time positions - mean people will lose their jobs.
Eighteen other part-time positions are proposed to be cut, but those positions are temporary and have no one currently filling them.
Total savings to the city for all job cuts, whether occupied or vacant, would be $895,994, including salaries and benefits. City officials previously had trimmed the budget by going through departments' line items and evaluating needs.
Among the steps to cut costs:
Ending support of the PAAL and DARE programs.