No cuts –– except to overtime
Cuts to police & fire overtime save big bucks.
On Friday, City Manager T.C. Broadnax released his proposed FY 2025-26 budget.
At first glance, it doesn't look too ugly, perhaps a surprise given all the talk about the projected $33 million deficit. No department's budget was actually cut.
Broadnax was able to balance the budget by doing two big things:
- Embracing staffing changes at the police and fire departments that will significantly reduce overtime spending
- Transferring $14.1 million from the city's reserves
The budget makes clear, however, that unless voters approve a tax rate election this fall, there will be much bigger cuts next year.
Police: more cops on patrol, less overtime
There are two ways to deal with APD's vacant patrol positions. You can use overtime pay to get officers to take more shifts, or you can transfer officers in non-patrol roles back to the streets. Broadnax is doing the latter, at a projected savings of $9 million in overtime.
