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The 2011 Budget was presented to the San Antonio City Council with no tax increases and no employee layoffs. Texas Public Radio’s Eileen Pace reports.
August 12, 2010 · The proposed budget for 2011 includes increased police and fire personnel and equipment. There are additional funds allocated for libraries, street improvements, inner city development, senior services, a new brush site, and for the city’s effort to attain no-kill animal control status. There is no proposed tax increase and no increase in solid waste fees, although some special use fees will increase, such as those at parks.
So where is the money coming from? City Manager Sheryl Sculley said she found money in reduction strategies, efficiency, and reduction in force.
“I’m recommending we cut 202 positions in this proposed budget. Seventy-five of those are filled. However, I’m not recommending any layoffs,” Scully said. “We’ve been able to maintain vacancies elsewhere within the city organization so that we can move those employees into other jobs without cutting their salaries. So this budget for the fifth year does not include any layoffs; but I would note that we have fewer city positions today than we did five years ago.”
Council members predicted city employees are happy that none will lose their jobs; in fact, employees will get a welcome two percent cost-of-living increase. Council will vote on the $2.36 billion budget in September after public hearings in August.
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