The Boulder City Council is asking its departments to trim 15% from their budgets as a possible way to close the gap on a roughly $164,283 deficit going into fiscal 2021.
The city anticipates collecting $489,639 in revenues for its general fund budget, but projected expenditures now stand at $653,922, according to budget documents provided by City Clerk Ellen Harne during a Thursday work session.
The City Council spent about two hours going over the proposed budget Thursday, looking for areas to cut, but in the end decided to take a broader approach with the 15% request, as well as look at the impact of forgoing pay raises for next year.
“I think it’s fair to ask them to do that,” said City Council President Drew Dawson about the 15% request.
Dawson, in response to a question from the Monitor, said starting the budget process with a deficit was not unusual for the city.
The departments include law enforcement, legislative, executive, administrative and financial services, judicial services, roads, the swimming pool, the library (which includes a mill levy) and the water and sewer and ambulance areas, which are considered enterprise funds. Enterprise funds are those activities for which there is a fee attached.
Harne said the city could expect about 10% less in overall revenues for fiscal 2021 as compared to last year, to include a 50% drop in gas tax revenues from the state.
The drop in gas tax revenues was attributed to fewer vehicles on the highways, said Harne, adding that the figure can still fluctuate.
Last year, the gas tax apportionment was budgeted at $35,885, and this year it’s $17,962, according to city budget documents.
Harne also lowered the estimated business license revenues by 22%, from $5,800 to $4,500, in anticipation of some losses due to COVID-19.
The City Council zeroed in on the police department budget — at $247,156 budgeted for fiscal 2021, the city’s largest operating expense, according to Harne.
The current police department budget stands at $201,718 for fiscal 2020, according to the city’s budget document.
Council members questioned the amount budgeted for overtime and sick leave, but did acknowledge that the police uniforms were old.
“It’s hard to command respect with tattered uniforms,” said Council member Sherry Lepley.
The Council also complained about a $20,000 increase in the courts budget, with the hike mostly due to a potential salary increase for the court clerk and judge.
The City Council considered putting off painting the pool as a way to save $5,000, as well putting off utilizing a $20,000 grant from the Fish/Wildlife and Parks budget for playground equipment at the city’s three parks.
Perhaps it could be put off because work in that area won’t get done this year due to COVID-19, said Mayor Rusty Giulio.
The FWP grant required a $20,000 match from the city.
The city plans to receive its certified taxable values the second week of August and that will give an idea how much of a levy it can set, said Harne.
The Council scheduled a work session on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. and a public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 6:30 p.m.
