Long term budget deficits linger as Everett struggles with priorities…
There’s a $9 million dollar gap in the budget for 2018 growing to $15 million dollars in 2020
Paul Kaftanski, who was tapped by Mayor Stephanson in 2013 to lead a Structural Deficit Advisory Team of city employees to find ways to decrease spending and increase revenues, gave a report to the budget committee this afternoon that says while the budget will be balanced in 2016 and 2017 due to increased fees and a recovering economy, there remains structurally, a long term deficit.
In an address to the Everett City Council on March 19th of 2014 the Mayor explained the situation facing the city and that hard decisions would have to be made. Here is that entire speech.
3.19.14 Everett Mayor Budget Address to Everett City Council
On April 2nd, 2014 Kaftanski laid out options for cuts in services and increases in revenue. Here is that outline.
In 2014 Everett went ahead and made several fee adjustments including raising car tabs by $20.00 to pay for road overlay programs, increased the business license fee, upped mitigation and development fees and eliminated the bookmobile and lifeguards at Silver Lake.
The City also ordered studies of Everett Transit, the Everett Police Department and Everett Fire Department to find efficiencies in their operations. More than $66,000.00 was spent with a firm called Fitch and Associates to study the Everett Fire Department. That study has now been put on the shelf. During the budget meeting today Everett Chief Financial Officer Debra Bryant reported the city is in a very chilling place with the firefighters contract negotiations and said they are being fought on every front but doesn’t want to air that in a public forum. “Fitch is on hold,” said Bryant.
The study of the Everett Police Department is now on a long-term hold as there are 22 vacancies left to fill and with the new social workers and other changes in the police department it’s thought now is not a good time for an efficiency study.
Kaftanski advised the budget committee that the city needs to decide what priorities it has for capital projects and services. “Services drive capital investment and staffing,” said Kaftanski. “Vision is community driven.”
City council member Brenda Stonecipher mentioned she’s had several people say okay we’re paying more now but what is the city doing and said she’d like to see some concrete plans from the administration on spending.
Budget chair Jeff Moore said he wants the committee to hold a workshop to explore exactly where the city’s finances are and discuss future options.
May 11, 2016
Everett, Everett Government