From the News and Tribune:
Jeffersonville will have to cut its 2012 budget by $3.5 million due to state caps on how much it can collect in property taxes.
City officials received word of the mandated cuts Wednesday through a report from the Clark County Auditor’s office. The city budget will rely on $19.3 million in property taxes once cut. As it was passed last year, it relied on $22.8 million in property taxes.
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One major budget discussion this year for Jeffersonville has been funding overtime for city firefighters. Department Chief Eric Hedrick has suggested hiring four new firefighters in order to ebb the need for overtime but the council has been reluctant to do so, specifically citing these property tax caps.
Considering the need to cut, “[making those hires now] is really going to be tough,” said Dennis Julius, a councilman.
While he admitted that the cut was a large one he said the council is prepared to deal with it.
“It’s big. One thing the council did last year is they put things in the budget expecting the [caps.]”
According to Julius, members of the council have already decided to put together a budget committee to address the issue.
As of yet no committee meetings have been scheduled. However, the full council does have meetings scheduled starting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 2, at Jeffersonville City Hall, 500 Quartermaster Court. Those are open to the public.
“I am confident that the administration and the city council will work quickly to resolve the shortfall,” said Harmon. “In this tough economy, municipalities have to tighten their belt just like everyone else.”
http://newsandtribune.com/business/x1560870575/Jeffersonville-to-cut-3-5M-from-budget
