Lawrence City Commissioner David Schauner isn’t happy. He voted this week to raise his constituents’ city property taxes 10 percent and to make cuts in virtually every city department.

“I don’t like this budget,” Schauner said. “I don’t like what it requires us to do.”

Schauner said he voted for the 2004 budget because he felt it was best the city could do under the circumstances. But it has left him worried.

“I think 2005 is going to be worse than 2004,” Schauner said.

City staff and Schauner’s fellow commissioners agree. The $110 million budget is full of one-time and short-term fixes, worth $2 million, according to figures released by the city.

Salaries were moved out of the general fund, equipment purchases were put off, and reserves were spent down in an attempt to keep tax increases as small as possible. Few of these steps can be repeated next year.

“(Those measures) will still be there next year,” Assistant City Manager Debbie Van Saun said. “They just won’t have the same effect on the general fund.”

The city pays for the majority of its programs out of the general fund. In 2004, taxes and other fees are expected to bring in a little less than $41 million.

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The city has budgeted to spend more than $43 million, making up the difference by spending money saved from previous years.

“We’re hoping the economy will turn around,” Commissioner Sue Hack said. “But we just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

If sales tax revenues stay flat, next year’s budget discussions could make this year’s look easy. The more than 700 city employees who did not receive an across-the-board cost-of-living adjustment likely will be clamoring for one in 2005.

“I would like to see us be as efficient as possible,” Hack said.

Commissioner Mike Rundle agreed. He said several recent efficiency studies have shown the city could do more to cut costs and increase productivity. And he wants those measures to start now.

“I look at (this budget) as a maximum, and there are four more months left in the year,” Rundle said. “I think we’ve got a lot more work to do.”