City seeks way to save programs

Council members propose increasing some fees to help offset a $20-million deficit.

By JANET ZINK
Published August 22, 2007

TAMPA — City Council members on Tuesday brainstormed ways to generate money and save jobs and programs targeted for elimination by Mayor Pam Iorio.

Property tax reform at the state level is forcing the city to cut $20-million from next year's bottom line.

At the first of two workshops, council members fretted about the loss of the city's creative industries manager and some summer swimming lessons, and suggested beefing up grant applications to bring in more money.

Council members John Dingfelder and Linda Saul-Sena suggested raising fees in the parks department, which is bearing the brunt of Tampa's cuts.

City finance director Bonnie Wise told them increasing fees for all types of city services should be considered.

But budget officer Jim Stefan said some state lawmakers have warned local governments not to offset cuts by raising fees.

Saul-Sena was not impressed.

"Who are they to say that what we charge for pottery making is not appropriate?" she asked.

Dingfelder told parks director Karen Palus to let the council know of any programs that could be saved by raising fees.

"We'll deal with the Legislature next year," he said.

Already, the council has successfully pushed for higher fees for a popular preschool program in city recreation centers that was slated for elimination to save $134,000.

On Thursday, the council will vote on whether to raise the fee from $18 a week to $45, with the option of going up to $65 in the future.

The Parks and Recreation Department is reducing its proposed budget for next year by more than $4-million, cutting positions and services.

Council members suggested looking to local foundations to help pay for free swimming lessons offered every summer to more than 2,600 children. Iorio proposes cutting the program to save the city more than $153,000.

"One kid learning to swim here might be a kid that doesn't drown," Saul-Sena said.

Dingfelder suggested funding a job Iorio eliminated, that of creative industries manager, with money from special taxing districts intended to boost development in struggling areas.

"The creative industries thing is huge," Saul-Sena said. "We need another person in that position." The job had been held by Paul Wilborn, who earned more than $100,000 per year before he was laid off in June.

Council member Mary Mulhern called the arts an "economic plus" and the elimination of the two creative industries jobs - one of them a secretarial position - "pretty scary."

"Tarpon Springs has more people than we do working on arts programs," she said. "These are jobs that bring money back to us."

Council member Tom Scott asked if department heads have looked toward January and the effect if voters approve a "super homestead exemption" that would slice even more into local government budgets.

Tampa police Chief Steve Hogue said he thinks that if the referendum passes, he will have to lay off police officers, something he avoided this year in stripping $3-million from his expected budget.

Mulhern said the police and fire unions should start lobbying now against the referendum.

"We need to get that message out to voters," she said. "We shouldn't be sitting here waiting for the ax to fall."

The next budget workshop is scheduled for Aug. 30 at the Police Department headquarters, 411 N Franklin St. Budget hearings are slated for Sept. 4 and Sept. 19 at City Hall, 315 E Kennedy Blvd.

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3401.

[Last modified August 22, 2007, 00:39:37]