Carson City officials list potential cuts

Carson City department heads, officials and employee association leaders have drafted a list of 142 items, including personnel, that could be cut to help balance expenditures in the 2010-11 fiscal year. The list is scheduled for adoption by the board of supervisors Thursday.

Adopting the priority list will not have a fiscal impact at this time. But if budget reductions are needed, the general fund budget will be reduced according to the list, with reductions becoming effective July 1, said City Manager Larry Werner.

Finance Director Nick Providenti and Werner prepared the list based on a

10 percent reduction after tax revenues for 2009-10 indicated the city would not likely be able to operate at its current levels.

At the top of the list, saving the city $389,544, is to keep health benefits from increasing 9 percent. A worst-case scenario to save $7.9 million would require that all 142 items be enacted, including reducing fire and police personnel.

Werner anticipates having to cut about $3.5 million, which would mean cutting everything down to item 89 of the list, where the first of the layoffs could occur.

The city has about 600 employees and about 18 departments, Providenti said.

Least likely to see any big cuts will be public safety - the sheriff's and fire departments - which make up 45-50 percent of expenditures, he said.

Providenti said decreased sales tax collections and reduced revenue from the city's landfill are the biggest contributing factors to the shortfall. Property taxes remain fairly stable.