AURORA — As the city attempts to recover from its most recent budget-cutting year, it is forecasting a budget shortfall in 2010 of $12 million to $25 million.
Options that are being considered include asking voters for a sales tax hike, creating a library or recreation district and cutting services across the board.
“It’s a pretty big budget cut and some significant service impacts,” said Aurora budget officer Jason Batchelor.
What will be cut and whether voters will be asked for tax increases will be up to the City Council. At a meeting last week, council members said they do not want to dip into reserves to weather the financial storm.
“There may be a day when we have to do that, but for me personally, I don’t think we’re there yet,” Mayor Ed Tauer said.
The council for months has been asking community members for input on priorities. One plan that seems to have some support is the creation of a library district separate from the city. Voters would have to approve that and a funding mechanism before a district could be created.
City Councilman Bob Broom said that when the city balances its budget each year, libraries typically take the most cuts.
The city has cut $10 million from the 2009 budget and identified another $8.5 million in cuts. And there could be more coming before 2010, said Councilman Bob FitzGerald. He believes an additional $3 million to $7 million in cuts might need to be found if economic conditions do not change or if the government stimulus package doesn’t kick in soon enough.
Aurora officials may have to follow Denver’s lead in going to voters. Denver in 2007 asked voters for bond proposals and tax increases for libraries, playgrounds and roads, among other items. All nine ballot issues passed.
Even so, officials acknowledge that asking residents to pay more in taxes to fund city services is a tough proposition in this economy. Already, the city has said it will be doing little, if any, street resurfacing in residential areas this year.
There could be furloughs for city workers, and possibly layoffs.
The city did see one piece of good news. Sales-tax revenue from December 2008 increased compared with December 2007.
