Sunset council wants to avoid property-tax increase
SUNSET — As the Sunset City Council grapples with declining sales-tax revenue, it is searching for ways to trim its budget for 2010 without losing service, cutting jobs or raising property taxes.
It's a tricky proposition, says Sunset Mayor Dan Gotchy.
"Every city is feeling the punch right now," he said.
Already, the city's $2.23 million general fund budget for 2010 is $110,000 leaner than the current budget.
So far, the city is in the midst of a hiring freeze, and no cost-of-living or merit raises will be handed out. A police car and dump truck that originally had been part of the budget are no longer there, said city recorder Susan Hale.
But Sunset still needs to figure out how to make up about $40,000, Hale said.
It has started by cutting costs internally. The annual Sunset Fun Days celebration has been scaled back, but it is still expected to be a great time for residents, Gotchy said. And conference travel for various city employees has been removed from the expenditure side of the budget.
But the city can't really afford to lose any employees, either, Gotchy said, because they are stretched as thinly as possible.
If internal cuts don't work, the council would have to look externally, Gotchy said, meaning a short-term property-tax increase. If the City Council ends up approving a property-tax increase in August, Gotchy said, he would work to scale it back as soon as possible.
"This was a hard year," Gotchy said. "Next year we plan on being OK."
Among the positives that could affect Sunset's bottom line are an end to the recession and development on the western side of Hill Air Force Base at the Falcon Hill National Aerospace Research Park, which is expected to become an economic boon for Sunset and other surrounding communities.
E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com
TWITTER: desnewsdavis
Budget highlights
General fund: $2.23 million
Property tax: Increase possible
City employees: No new
Employee raises: None
Public hearing: August date to be determined
Comments
- Grizzlies lend forward to AHL team 2:06 a.m.
- Basic Sports Training clinic Saturday 2:06 a.m.
- Tony Finau reaches Big Break finale 2:05 a.m.
- Chicken-lovers dance for free food 2:02 a.m.
- Kansas' Secret Santa gives away $ 1:24 a.m.
- 75 hostages seized in Phillippines 1:24 a.m.
- Gates: US to be Afghan partner 1:23 a.m.
- Al-Qaida claims credit for blasts 1:23 a.m.
- Utah Utes campus briefs 12:39 a.m.
- SUU campus briefs 12:37 a.m.
- Hot Rod behind mic for Lakers
- Max Hall wants to look ahead
- Cougars use depth to beat ASU
- Panel passes BCS playoff bill
- Non-BCS schools not given fair shot
- Crash landing next to I-15
- Psychologist: Mitchell schizophrenic
- Palin signs books, chats with fans
- Snow brings big chill
- Jazz go up against 'the best'
- Letters: Global warming a lie
229 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
206 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
184 - Cougars going back to Vegas
150 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
147 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
138 - Max Hall wants to look ahead
119 - Revive full food tax?
100 - Yet again, we learn BCS is a big joke
94 - Palin signs books, chats with fans
94
Love him or hate him, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch knows how to get attention.
My wife Lisa and I would prefer never to argue. But that's not going to...
For the latest news in the health care debate and how it affects you...
Top 5 Players in minutes played: Utah 1 Fr, 2 Jr, 2 Sr Jr Carlon Brown...
Yep "self righteous" if the rest of us who don't rubber neck left, you would...
Thank you for keeping the team here for all of these years, and for always...
of misery, inconsistency, road games losses and of course, NO TITLE ! Long...
Glad to hear about Matt and the others who demonstrate you can play at a high...
I guess they forgot that God made clothes for Adam and Eve and that was...
and good luck.
There is an inherent problem in any rating system -- it takes into account...
Give Phillips some credit. He was 5/5 in field goals in the YBU game, and the...
Mr. Bender's kind of thinking doesn't even acknowledge that the world is...



You can be the first to comment on this story.