Lawrence city commissioners said Wednesday they were unwilling to sacrifice police, planning or pavement to the city’s budget woes.

Their decision restores $551,000 in proposed cuts to the city’s 2003 budget. It also means the city has come up with just $671,500 in cuts — mostly equipment purchases — to make up for a $1.38 million shortfall caused by a cutoff in state aid.

“This was a service issue,” Mayor Sue Hack said after the commission’s study session.

In preparing the 2003 budget last year, commissioners authorized hiring five new police detectives, three new fire and medical personnel, three emergency dispatchers, a staff attorney for public safety, a long-range planner and a civil engineer.

To make up for the shortfall, though, City Manager Mike Wildgen in December recommended delaying all those hires, among other measures.

Wednesday, however, commissioners agreed to keep the new detectives in the budget, at a cost of $360,000, along with another $40,000 in new expenditures for the Police Department.

“It was an issue of public safety — and that was a unanimous opinion on the part of the commissioners,” Hack said.

Lawrence Police, who have long maintained the department is understaffed, were grateful.

¢ City budget-cut planning begins (1-8-03)¢See the city’s 2003 budget online

“We know that the budget is tight and that everybody has to stretch,” Lt. Dave Cobb said. “But we’re pleased we can get staffing levels back up to where we can serve the community best.”

The planner also will stay, at a $51,000 cost to the city, commissioners decided.

“We ask an awful lot in terms of long-range planning,” Hack said. “To not give (the Planning Department) the tools to do that is the wrong thing to do.”

Commissioners also decided to restore $100,000 in proposed cuts to a street maintenance program.

Hack said the city wouldn’t pay the full budgeted cost because of the time it takes to hire new employees. But the budget squeeze means more hard choices will be needed when the commission — with as many as three new members — takes on the 2004 budget this spring.

“The issue of raising taxes is something that’s on the table,” Hack said.