Cut more or tax more, Ivins tells Spa City departments

PHOTOGRAPHER: Tatiana Zarnowski

The city finance commissioner is asking department heads to cut their budgets 10 percent next year, on top of cuts they’ve made in the past couple of years.

Commissioner Ken Ivins wants the five department heads to make changes by Aug. 18, before he presents a proposed budget in September.

More cuts are needed because of potential decreases in sales tax, increased costs because of a new police contract and one-time funds that were used up this year to balance the budget.

Commissioner of Public Works Anthony “Skip” Scirocco said his department can’t take another hit. “I’ve already given up a million dollars. I’m down 40 people.”

Ivins said if the cuts aren’t made, property taxes will have to increase more. “I will not propose a budget that is double-digit tax increase. I prefer something in the middle.”

Tax numbers will depend on the capital budget, which hasn’t been finished.

Mayor Scott Johnson said he would like an estimate of what the tax increase would be if the departments make the cuts, so officials and the public can weigh the options.

“Those are big numbers to meet,” Johnson said. “My department’s not that large, but obviously for public safety and public works, those are big numbers.”