City manager rejected numerous options in choosing where to make cuts to city budget

What services do you consider essential and would you cut?

On Friday, City Hall reporter Chad Lawhorn reported that school crossing guards, the Prairie Park Nature Center and many social service agencies would bear the brunt of proposed city budget cuts.

The cuts would come if changes included in Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ proposed budget-balancing legislation did indeed become law.

But the cuts that were revealed Friday — and which will be taken up by the City Commission Tuesday — weren’t the only ones city manager David Corliss considered.

All of the proposed cuts are detailed below — the ones that were recommended to the commission are in bold.

What cuts would you have made and which programs are too important to be on the block? You can read more about each of these considered cuts, including in some cases the rationale for why they could be cut, at the city commission’s Web site.

Eliminate school crossing guards: $50,000 in savings

Eliminate CPR classes: $30,000

Eliminate fire department’s classes in Lawrence schools: $18,000

Eliminate free bike helmet programs, or charge for the helmets: $30,000

Reduce/eliminate fire department employee degree programs: $20,000

Eliminate Human Relations division of legal department: $92,500

Reduce funding to 21 service agencies, including the Boys and Girls Club, Van Go Mobile Arts and many others: $342,292

Eliminate 1/2 of employee longevity bonus: $130,000

Eliminate staff pay increases: $360,000

Eliminate city auditor: $56,000

Eliminate economic development coordinator: $85,000

Eliminate e-gov coordinator: $69,000

Eliminate historic preservation program: $100,000

Eliminate GIS function in city program (both for internal and public): $70-160,000, depending on whether one or two positions are cut

Eliminate long-range planning: $70-150,000, depending on whether one or two positions are cut

Reduce the street maintenance concrete crew: $100,000

Reduce street maintenance expenditures: $500,000

Move school resources officers to the general fund budget: $125,000

Eliminate 50 percent of agency funding from special alcohol fund: $156,075

Reduce by 50 percent budget for agencies funded by special recreation fund: $25,000

Eliminate city band concerts in South Park: $12,000

Close Prairie Park Nature Center: $96,500

Reduce hours at the city pools, including closing the wading pool in South Park: $60,000

Reduce hours at city’s recreation centers: $30,000

Perform less downtown beautification: $70,000

Eliminate special events (i.e. Turkey Trot, downtown movies and brown bag concerts): $25-100,000

Eliminate funding for special populations (i.e. sports leagues, swim teams and other specialized classes): $25-100,000