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Council seeks alternatives to proposed police cuts ahead of May 6 budget update
Summary
Council members asked the city manager to present department-level options and specific alternatives to proposed police staffing cuts ahead of the May 6 budget update; the manager said he will present a balanced budget recommendation and can supply department impact information for policy decisions.
Redding City Council members pressed the city manager for additional budget-cut options and asked staff to return with department-by-department analyses ahead of the May 6 budget update.
Several council members requested options that would avoid or reduce proposed cuts to police staffing. Council discussion referenced an earlier recommendation that would reduce police staffing by 12 positions, saving roughly $480,000; council members asked whether alternatives could be identified and presented so the body could weigh trade-offs before finalizing the budget on June 30.
The city manager (name not specified in the transcript) said he intends to present a balanced budget at the May 6 meeting "absolutely balanced with what you've already directed," and offered to provide a departmental presentation that outlines each general-fund department's staffing, the portion of its cost borne by the general fund, and the ramifications of reductions. The manager cautioned that choosing reductions in other departments would be a policy call for the council because service levels would change: "if you want to reduce other departments, you have to make the determination on what you want to not do," he said.
Council members discussed two possible approaches: (1) a department-by-department briefing showing functions, staffing and the consequences of reductions; or (2) staff-proposed alternative cuts tied to specific policy-direction changes. The manager favored the first approach to give the council full information; several council members asked that the manager also bring specific recommendations if the council provided policy direction.
The council agreed the May 6 meeting will include budget information and asked the manager to provide the requested department information in the advance packet. Staff noted it will require work to update prior templates and will deliver the materials to the council in advance of the meeting.
No formal budget vote was taken at the meeting; the council set May 6 as the next step for a more detailed budget discussion and potential policy decisions.
