Hollister
– The City Council will hold a workshop this evening to discuss
plans for addressing its $2.7 million budget deficit.
Preliminary plans outlining potential budget cuts were presented
before the Nov. 7 election.
Hollister – The City Council will hold a workshop this evening to discuss plans for addressing its $2.7 million budget deficit.
Preliminary plans outlining potential budget cuts were presented before the Nov. 7 election.
The largest proposed reductions are to police and animal control, which could be cut by more than $1.2 million. This would involve the elimination of gang prevention and intervention, elimination of proactive policing, elimination of property crime investigation, elimination of drug crime investigation, reduction of office hours to 25 hours per week, and elimination of spay and neuter programs.
When interviewed earlier this year about Measure R, the 1 percent sales tax increase that voters rejected on Nov. 7, Police Chief Jeff Miller said, “The city is in dire financial straits right now, and they’ve already cut to the bone. If Measure R doesn’t pass, we will be cutting the bone.”
Other potential cuts include reduced hours at City Hall, elimination of the fire department’s truck company, closure of all park restrooms, elimination of pothole repair, elimination of non-development-reimbursed planning and elimination of the recreation department.
The meeting will begin at 6pm in City Hall.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at (831) 637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
