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Letter to the editor

Budget cuts to land softly

The city proposal pares library hours and code enforcers, but it spreads the pain.

By AARON SHAROCKMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published August 30, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - After all of the fretting from local government leaders over the state-mandated budget cuts, it comes down this for city residents:

St. Petersburg's Main Library will be closed on Saturdays.

There's more to it, of course. But as the City Council meets at 6 p.m. today to hear a $223.9-million spending plan, the rampant fears of deep service cuts never really materialized.

Council Chairman John Bryan figures it might make for a lonely evening.

"It would totally surprise me if we do have a big turnout," Bryan said. "There's been so much talk about the budget so far that most people feel it's pretty much a done deal."

To be fair, Mayor Rick Baker did not share the sky-is-falling mentality of some of his colleagues across the state. But he also had built up a nice cushion to soften the economic wallop cities faced.

"You won't see the impact every day," said City Council member Bill Foster. "I don't think residents will feel the pain on a daily basis."

Of the nearly $14-million in cuts Baker proposed in June, about half came from stopping payments into two reserve funds and cutting subsidies to more than 200 arts and social service groups.

Another $1-million was made up in increased fees. The price to go to a city swimming pool is increasing 50 cents, for example, and the cost to attend a child play camp is going up anywhere from $3 to $30.

What remained was spread across almost every function of city government.

Some city departments, like code enforcement, took it harder than others. There, the city cut 25 percent across the board. Officials insist all complaints will still be handled - it just might take a little longer.

Health and safety issues take top billing, said David Metz, deputy mayor for neighborhood services.

"We are going to make it work," Metz said. "We are not going to let the ball drop."

But it's the city's library system, where hours were reduced and the city's Main Library was closed on Saturdays, where residents may see the most direct impact.

Library director Mary Gaines says she has heard from several library patrons about the diminished hours. The branch libraries, Gaines points out, are still open on Saturday and the Main Library is open on Sunday.

"They're not grumpy," Gaines said this week. "When you give them an explanation of what happened, they understand."

Though city officials have spent months hammering out details of next year's budget, changes can still be made.

Residents have two chances, tonight and on Sept. 13, to suggest places to cut or programs to spare. The new budget takes effect Oct. 1.

Bryan, who will save about $800 in property taxes this year on a $20,000 total tax bill (he owns three properties), thinks he's feeling the way most city residents are these days.

Unsatisfied, but no longer in control.

Times staff writer Christina Silva contributed to this report.

Fast facts

If you go

The city's first of two budget workshops is at 6 tonight at City Hall, 175 Fifth St. N. A final public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13.

Budget by the numbers

2,910 Full-time employees

$100.3M in property tax revenues

1 less employee in the mayor's office

91 jobs eliminated overall

$1 Min contingency funds

540 police officers

6.5% more in fire department spending

$500,000 for arts and social service groups

[Last modified August 30, 2007, 00:54:21]