Reno City Budget Just Keeps Getting Hammered

Tax revenue keeps falling and with it the amount of money available to run Reno's city functions. At the Reno City Council meeting on March 24, Finance Director Mary Ann Parrot revealed that the current fiscal year budget, thought to be balanced until July 1, is in fact coming up short by $5.2 million. Adding to the bad news, Parrot estimated that the projected shortage of $15.2 million for the 2010-2011 fiscal year has grown to $30 million.

Under this new scenario, the 12.6 percent budget cuts already ordered across all departments (except police, fire, and dispatch, which cut 6.6 percent) aren't enough. Without additional concession from the city's employee unions (which I think are not very likely), more layoffs will be coming soon. Word on the street is that up to 300 city workers will be out the door by the end of June.

Without a doubt, Reno residents are going to experience noticeable declines in city services at every turn. How bad it gets will largely be determined by whether or not the revenue situation stabilizes. What we actually experience in the way of reduced services will be determined by how the remaining money in the pot is doled out. I don't envy those with the job of implementing layoffs and deciding what and where to cut. If it were up to you, where would you slice and dice the city budget? Across the board? Only in certain departments? Let us know what you think - cut everywhere or select up to three areas you would trim down.

Sources: City of Reno, Reno Gazette-Journal.

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