Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour today unveiled a plan to shore up an $8.7 million budget shortfall with cuts across the city.
Some of the most significant proposed cuts include:
"Browning out" a fire station instead of using overtime to fill positions when firefighters miss work. The change would save about $400,000, and it would mean the city's downtown fire station would have one engine company instead of two about 70 percent of the time between Dec. 1 and July 1.
Saving $2.15 million by leaving unfilled positions vacant throughout the city's work force, including the Police Department.
Eliminating some part-time positions to save $213,000.
Reducing trash collections in city parks from three days a week to two days a week, saving $100,000 and transferring the work from Grover Landscape Services to city employees.
Ridenour's proposal is scheduled to appear before the council's Finance Committee Monday.
Further cuts are possible.
Ridenour's initial plan closes $6.4 million in the budget gap through the cuts and about $1.5 million in extra cash from a mix of property sales and efforts to increase revenue.
The council adopted a $122 million general fund budget in June, but quickly had to revise the plan because of a downturn in tax revenue.
Read the full story at modbee.com.