FeedsProposed budget discussed
Inkster officials have not yet debated the entire budget for 2008-09 fiscal year, but it appears to be a fairly conservative budget with few departmental increases.
City Manager Joyce Parker and Treasurer Charles Stanhouse presented their proposed budget for the next fiscal year to the Inkster City Council at a special meeting Monday.
The presentation lasted about three hours, but officials adjourned the meeting prior to discussing individual numbers for expenditures for several departments, including public safety.
The $17,997,950 general fund budget represents few increases in any areas, with the exception of code enforcement, and does include a 6 percent overall water and sewer rate hike due to increases imposed by the City of Detroit.
Parker said the projected year-end fund balance – for uncommitted funds – would be about $611,000 in June 2009.
“Of course we’d like to have that number be higher,” she said. “I think this is the best we can do at this point.”
State revenue unknown
If the State of Michigan imposes more revenue cuts to municipalities, the city could have to pare back the proposed budget. The overall state budget will not be outlined for several weeks, but cities are required to file an approved budget much sooner.
There is no word on whether the state plans to reduce revenue sharing, which is the second largest source of revenue a municipality receives, after property taxes.
Property tax collection has been a problem for the city, but the 2008-09 budget was not affected by the record number of foreclosures and tax delinquencies, Stanhouse said.
“If taxes are assessed, the county gives us the money,” he said. “But down the line, this could cause us some real problems as homes are foreclosed on (by the county), so it’s likely we’ll see this in the future.”
Service expenditures
According to city documents, public safety remains the most expensive of city services, with $5.8 million funding police activities, and $1.6 million funding fire and rescue services.
Fire Chief Marc Hubanks said there would be no increases in fire staffing for this fiscal year within the budget.
“We are working with the city manager to find another way to increase our staffing,” he said.
Because officials did not discuss the entire budget Monday, it remains to be seen if any staffing will be added to the Inkster Police Department, which lost several positions during the budget crunch of 2003.
One department that will see an additional employee is the Building Department, which will increase by one full-time employee.
Other department allocations include the Department of Public Service, which was allocated $2.1 million, and the Treasury Department, which has a proposed $738,879 budget.
The 22nd District Court budget, which is set by the city council but is funded by the state, is still under review by the city.
More information sought
Many council members questioned some of the numbers, including the $194,140 requested by Inkster City Clerk Velida Guiterrez-Smith.
“I’m not sure if that’s going to be enough, with the interest in the presidential election next year,” said Greene. “There’s going to have to be more monitoring this time.”
Mayor Hilliard Hampton said he wanted supplemental information about individual wages earned by city employees.
“We have received that information in the budget before,” he said. Hampton also said he would like to see a written supplement with that information.
Another budget session will take place to discuss outstanding issues this week. The proposed budget – with revisions suggested by the council – will then be presented to the public later this month. By law, it must be approved and filed before the start of the fiscal year.
