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







