Early Wednesday afternoon while council was on lunch break, Mayor Pro-Tem Kathie Tovo said a consensus on the budget is close.
Advertisement
In the end, the council decided the Mayor’s office could stand to lose over $100,000 in travel, salaries and benefits. This is an increase of about $80,000 from the Fiscal Year 2016 budget.
The council voted on several ways to balance the budget Tuesday.
They also made a decision to cut some of the benefits, personal services, and the salaries for the Mayor’s Office and the Legal Department.
“It’s unfortunate today that council members have chosen to go above and beyond what the department directors believe will keep this city functional”, Mayor Yarber said. That $4.5 million comes from a surplus in revenue from CPS and a federal reimbursement.
All city employees will receive a 2 percent pay increase. The city’s total budget is $56,352,970, of which $10,763,858 will be in general fund expenditures.
Council ended up tabling that issue to the disappointment of Council Members Gallo and Zimmerman.
During the same meeting, council members unanimously approved a monetary gift for city employees of $250 each. The council is sifting through 15 pages of ideas to cut the city’s $3.7 billion budget.
However, council members said the library will see a funding cut of more than $129,000, significantly less than the initial proposed cut of more than $500,000.
“It’s our job as city council people to ensure that were in the best possible financial situation for the citizens of Jackson to ensure services can be provided”, said Ward 6 Councilman Tyrone Hendrix.
Troxclair, who is on maternity leave, said in a statement she would not support the budget and called it “unaffordable”.
Advertisement
“I continue to hear from constituents and the people in this community that say ‘control your spending City Council, quit increasing property taxes, quit increasing utility bills”.
