From the Anderson Herald-Bulletin:
The City Council Thursday night tabled both the introduction of Mayor Kevin Smith’s proposed fiscal 2014 budget and a public hearing on the spending plan that was scheduled.
The vote to take those actions was 8-1. City Councilman Russ Willis, R-District 1, opposed the move.
The reasoning behind the council’s action was not entirely clear, although President David Eicks, D-at large, said he had concerns about whether the budget proposed by the Smith administration was balanced.
Eicks said members of the City Council would confer today to find an alternative date for introducing and holding a public hearing on the proposed budget.
“What the council did tonight is a bit concerning as it relates to the budget process,” Smith said after the vote.
If council members had any questions about the proposed spending plan, the city’s experts were available to address them, the mayor said.
Under state law, the City Council must adopt a budget before Nov. 1.
Smith’s proposed $70.93 million budget for fiscal 2014 focuses heavily on maintaining adequate police and fire department staffs, an issue that proved controversial during last year’s budget deliberations and led to several public demonstrations and heated public hearings.
...
http://heraldbulletin.com/local/x72686232/City-Council-delays-introduction-of-2014-proposed-budget
