(KCPW News) Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker’s proposed budget for 2012 includes no layoffs, no tax increases and no major cuts to programs. It also includes a compensation bump for employees, but increased healthcare costs.
“The net effect of the bump, which is part of what we were trying to achieve with the way we put together the budget was so that with employees healthcare costs going up, that they not have their paycheck diminished,” said Becker. “Some employees will do a little bit better. Some employees will do a little bit worse, but we got about as close as we could.”
Becker says last year’s budget put the city on a sustainable path. The new budget proposal reflects about 3 percent growth, from $189 million to $194 million.
He says although it uses about $1.5 million in one-time funds, it still reduces the city’s structural deficit.
“We aren’t just looking for how we can squeeze more money out of an increasingly dry turnip, let’s hold our own, let’s try to take care of own employees, they’ve faced really challenging times, and let’s put ourselves on a very solid foundation going forward,” Becker said.
The city council will now hold meetings and public hearings before adopting the final budget.
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