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Budget Buster; City of Fresno Makes Big Cuts

By: Clint Olivier

"Our number one responsibility is to be good fiscal stewards with the money they've entrusted us with," Swearengin said.

Mayor Ashley Swearengin is talking about her message for Fresno's taxpayers as she presents the latest round of budget cuts to the city council.

The city will trim nearly 28 million dollars from this year's budget through reductions in city services and layoffs.

"Nobody likes to do things like what we're talking about today, but I believe every single elected official holds a responsibility to the public first and foremost and our responsibility to the public is to handle this problem," she said.

City leaders blame the shortfall on the decrease in sales and hotel room tax revenue, and an increase in city expenses, especially in funding retirement costs.

Here's how they plan to trim the budget and how it affects taxpayers. No department is immune.

• City workers: Mandatory 40 hour furloughs
• Reduce tree trimming, road paving and sidewalk repair.
• Parks and recreation:11 staff layoffs.
• Close 4 community centers.
• Close 7 others except for the two hours when senior meals are served.
• Fire: Shutter stations 10 and 18.
• 84 hour furlough for firefighters.
• Police: No officers will be let go, but 145 positions defunded. Of those, 104 non–sworn workers laid off.
• Graffiti prosecutor eliminated.
• Reduce records office hours.

Chief Jerry Dyer says response times may go up as officers answer so–called "low priority" calls usually handled by community service officers.

"From a safety standpoint we're still going to have our officers out there day and day out responding to calls for service and do everything we can to control crime in our city," Dyer said.

Swearengin also warns the city will still come up short anywhere between 4 and 9 million dollars for the 2011 fiscal year.