City staff to ask for more time to cut $2.5 million from budget

City staff members will ask for an extension to find an additional $2.5 million in spending cuts — on top of a balanced budget — at the Davis City Council meeting Tuesday.

The additional reductions, which will come from personnel costs, will be used to fund existing unmet needs, such as transportation and retiree health and medical benefits.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers at City Hall, 23 Russell Blvd.

A split council — 3-2, with Sue Greenwald and Stephen Souza dissenting — approved the additional cuts in June, after closing a $789,000 general fund deficit.

Staff members were asked to develop a plan to save $2.5 million by Sept. 30.

But to cut that much from the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, means decisions have to be made quickly and service reductions will be felt more deeply.

Staff members want more time to develop a plan and to implement it. At Tuesday’s meeting, they will ask to hold a budget workshop on Nov. 29 for discussion of the additional cuts, according to the staff report.

At that time, staff may recommend spreading the $2.5 million in reductions beyond the current fiscal year, according to the report.

— Reach Crystal Lee at (530) 747-8057 or clee@davisenterprise.net