NEWS
Soglin unveils budget plan
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by Michelle Orris
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Mayoral candidate Paul Soglin has revealed a budget plan in response to candidate Dave Cieslewicz’s budget strategy, revealed last week.
Soglin wants to tap into the city’s $24 million rainy-day fund, a contingency fund and revenue from fines and permits, to patch up a potential $8 million deficit.
Soglin said he anticipated a gap of $8 million after accounting for an increase in the city budget’s normal growth rate, in addition to the anticipated $3.5 million deficit to shared-revenue programs.
In response to Cieslewicz’s criticism that the current budget deficit is not substantial enough to warrant a “raid” of the city’s savings, Soglin said the solution is better than cutting into city services.
“It seems at this time we need city services more than ever, and rather than adding to the pain,” Soglin said. “The very conservative forecast I’ve made of the use will allow the fund to be at a record high next year.”
Soglin’s budget proposal opts to freeze fewer city positions than Cieslewicz and primarily draws funds from reserves and other city revenue sources.
Cieslewicz’s proposal includes a 5 percent pay cut for the mayor and his staff, a hiring freeze until 2003 and the elimination of out-of-state travel by city employees.
