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Politics

Mayor rebuffed in bid to reduce city spending

Ron Kitchen's attempt to introduce almost $800,000 in proposed last-minute cuts fails in Crystal River.

By ELENA LESLEY
Published September 27, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER - There was some disagreement at Monday's City Council meeting as to what implement Mayor Ron Kitchen might use to slice the city's budget.

Council member Jim Farley compared the mayor's proposed chops to those made by Lizzie Borden, the most notorious accused ax murderer in U.S. history.

Kitchen preferred a medical analogy. "You can call it an ax. I prefer to call it a scalpel," the mayor said, describing his proposed cuts as "surgically precise."

After hearing both sides of the debate, the council reached a verdict. Members voted 4-1 to reject Kitchen's proposed cuts and keep the city's tax rate steady.

"I don't think we can take cuts put out at this late hour," council member Susan Kirk said.

After the first budget hearing Sept. 11, Kitchen said he took residents' concerns about taxes to heart, and would suggest cuts to the council at the second hearing.

Given soaring property values, many residents and business owners said they couldn't afford city taxes this year.

The city collected $2,200,771 in taxes last year, and anticipates garnering $2,724,645 in 2007, said financial director Mark Thiele.

Council members had been holding budget meetings for the past several months, slashing at costs just to keep the millage rate at 5.6 mills. If residents disapproved, Kirk said, they should have come forward earlier.

But Kitchen decided there was still time left to trim.

At Monday's meeting he unveiled his proposed cuts, which would slash nearly $800,000 from the budget.

In his new proposed budget, Kitchen suggested reducing council salaries, eliminating the staff city attorney position, cutting council travel and eliminating seven positions from the Police Department.

While some residents championed his efforts, others balked at the idea of cutting officers.

Resident Joyce Brown said it would demoralize the work force to make such reductions at the last minute and added the cuts would affect the city's safety.

Council member John Kostelnick accused Kitchen of "grandstanding."

"The election's coming up, you need to get some votes," he said to the mayor.

Roger Proffer introduced another potentially reduced budget, this one not as severe as Kitchen's. But the council ended up voting 4-1 to approve the rate at 5.6 mills. Council member Robert Holmes was the nay vote.

Those displeased with the vote attacked the council for not living within its means.

"Why does it cost 65 percent more to live in the city of Crystal River than to live in the city of Inverness?" asked Phil Price, who is running for a council seat.

In other council business:

- The council approved a first reading of a voluntary annexation petition from Florida Low Income Housing Associates Inc. The organization plans to build an affordable housing development south of Turkey Oak Drive and east of Yeoman's Park.

- The city is reviewing plans for a Dunkin' Donuts to be built in the city, said City Manager Andrew Houston.

[Last modified September 27, 2006, 06:59:28]