Wenatchee city council members could get their first look at the city's preliminary balanced budget for 2012 as soon as today. Mayor Dennis Johnson says in order to balance the budget, he's recommending the city reduce reserves. Under the current proposal, the city would have a reserve fund of about 11 and a half percent. That's below the 14 percent the city has carried in previous years. One of the early budget proposals brought to the council had the city looking at reductions in the police force and elsewhere in the city. Johnson says the current spending plan has one employee layoff, a facility maintenance worker. Johnson says residents and council members were clear in stating they did not want to see layoffs in the police, fire or street departments. That's accomplished in part by a couple of "revenue enhancements". A one percent increase in water, waste water and other utility taxes, and a proposed cmomercial occupancy fire inspection fee. One "revenue enhancement" that won't be on the table for now, a 20 dollar car tab tax to help pay for transportation projects. Johnson says the council members previously stated they wanted an advisory vote on that issue before moving forward. He says he'd like to see the city come up with a proposal to put before voters that includes perhaps a larger dollar amount, and specific projects that it would fund. The mayor will present the preliminary balanced budget at next week's city council meeting.
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