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Mayor asks departments for 10% savings; OMB, ITD and commissioners discuss approaches and CRA review
Summary
The mayor asked department heads to propose 10% savings as part of budget planning, and the Appropriations Committee heard OMB and ITD outline accounting adjustments, a $3 million ISD revenue shortfall and IT‑department efficiency efforts.
The Appropriations Committee discussed a mayoral directive asking department heads to identify potential 10% reductions as the county prepares its next budget. David Cloudfelter of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said his office is reviewing departmental submissions and the fiscal picture for the current year and next year and will communicate prioritized adjustments to the commission.
Cloudfelter described a $3 million shortfall in ISD (information services) tied to unrealized prior‑year revenue that had to be cleared under accounting standards; the general fund covered that shortfall. He told the committee the office is working with departments to identify dedicated funding sources for enterprise services and to prioritize the mayor's requested reductions.
Margaret Brisbane, director of Information Technology Department (ITD), described ongoing IT efforts to consolidate enterprise services across 1,200 applications, pursue cloud services, retire legacy systems, expand automation and AI use cases and improve cybersecurity. Brisbane told the committee ITD is already pursuing efficiency gains and will coordinate with any outside consultant review.
Commissioners debated the 10% target. Some said the exercise should be prioritized and tailored by department rather than strictly across‑the‑board. Commissioner Hardiman recommended incentives for directors who identify sustainable savings without layoffs; Commissioner Cabrera noted enterprise departments often operate on fee‑for‑service models and need differentiated treatment.
The committee also discussed Community Redevelopment Agencies. Chief Carla Denise Armbruster Edwards and Director Cloudfelter described recent CRA investments—more than $408 million over five years—and the mayor's request that any CRA expansion or new CRA pass a "smell test" of return on investment and cost neutrality. Commissioner Hardiman defended CRA use as a locally focused reinvestment tool but cautioned the administration when using terms like "maximize" so planners consider neighborhood context and appropriate density.
The committee approved a set of budget amendments (item 3D) and moved other items; the transcript records 3D passing unanimously by roll call. The administration said McKinsey will review efficiency opportunities but that OMB and departments will pursue in‑house options first, and that any consultant engagement would be weighed against in‑house work and expected value.
