Steve Bach Reveals First Budget Draft As Mayor
Status quo generally describes the proposed 2012 budget released this week by Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach. The draft contains no major increases, but also no cuts or layoffs despite the ongoing economy struggles.
“I think we have to have an honest conversation about whether or not we can get back to (the prerecession) level,” said Bach. “We’re down $18 million a year in sales tax revenue. That’s a lot of money.”
The mayor said he can save taxpayers $3.7 million by eliminating 38 vacant positions and asking city employees to make a 6 percent increase in contributions to the health care plan. Bach said the latter would mean a $29 monthly increase for individuals and an $83 monthly increase for family coverage.
“I wish we didn’t have to do it, but we’re faced with the reality that we must,” Bach said. “Otherwise, it’ll cost the city $2 million more a year.” He said city employees pay for 20 percent of their health insurance, compared to a percentage of as much as 35 percent in the public sector.
The proposed budget, said the mayor, includes funding to hire 25 police officers and 16 firefighters.
Bach advised increasing the city’s reserve fund from 13 percent of the $224,575,000 total budget, to between 17 and 25 percent. He also said he will hire a consultant to review the pay scale of city workers and decide whether some salaries are too high or not competitive with similar positions in other cities.
During his first budget planning as mayor, Bach described the city’s financial outlook as conservative: cutting spending while determining how to create long-term financial stability. The budget projection could change as revenue collections are finalized late this year and early next year, the mayor said.
“There will be a temptation by the City Council to increase the revenue forecast. I think that’s dangerous,” said Bach.
The city expects to supplement the 2012 budget with $57 million in federal grants, Bach said, mostly for public works and public transit.
