From the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel:
"Mayor Tom Henry's administration is looking into forming a new task force to help guide the city's fiscal policy as state property tax caps continue to threaten local government revenue, an elected official said.
The committee would likely be charged with setting up spending priorities and possibly looking for areas to cut costs, according to City Council President Tom Smith, R-1st, who said on Monday that he had heard a brief overview of the plan.
“It's going to be a pretty serious look on the part of the city and the council at where we're at, given the bleak economic conditions,” Smith said. “It's really being driven by the tax caps because the city knows there's going to be less money… coming in.”
Frank Suarez, a spokesman for Henry, declined to comment on the plan Monday and would not grant an interview with city controller Pat Roller, who was scheduled to brief council on Tuesday.
In 2011, the caps saved Fort Wayne taxpayers about $13.5 million, but that means less revenue for city government. The impact could be even greater for 2012, Allen County Auditor Tera Klutz said.
“For 2012, (local governments) are going to be looking at slightly less revenue than in 2011,” she said."
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120305/NEWS/120309746
