Denver Councilman Doug Linkhart said he will try to amend Mayor John Hickenlooper’s proposed 2010 budget to add $700,000 to bolster financing for a youth jobs program.
Linkhart said the city used federal stimulus money this year to help place about 1,200 people between the ages of 16 and 24 in jobs.
Overall, the city spent about $4 million, including stimulus funds, on the program this year, he said. But Linkhart said the stimulus money was a one-time payment, forcing the city to pare the youth jobs program back next year to serving 200 youths.
He said the mayor’s budget would spend about $700,000 on the program next year. He wants to raise the spending level to $1.4 million and is still combing the 2010 budget to find ways to fund the increase.
He said he will offer a formal amendment Nov. 2.
Closing the gap
The council can amend the mayor’s budget if seven of 13 members vote to do so. The mayor can veto any amendments, but the council can override a veto with nine votes.
The mayor had to overcome a $160 million deficit in the city’s general fund from July of this year through all of next year. To close the gap, Hickenlooper proposed furloughs for city workers, dipped into the general-fund reserves, cut library hours, delayed negotiated salary raises for safety workers and triggered fee increases in targeted areas.
Hickenlooper has projected $855 million in general fund spending next year. This year’s budget originally called for $914 million in general fund spending, though cuts were made midyear.
80,000 in targeted age group
Linkhart said the number of young people the city will help to find jobs is scheduled to drop to 200 next year under the mayor’s budget, the lowest level in years. He said that four years ago the level of youth job placements by the city averaged about 1,000. In recent years, the number of such placements has been about 400, Linkhart said.
Linkhart said he believes the city can do better considering there are about 80,000 people in the targeted age category living in the city. He said the level of spending he is proposing would raise the delivery of job assistance for youth next year back up to 400 individuals.
City economic development officials said they would need time to confirm Linkhart’s figures on jobs and spending.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
