Burbank City Council discusses possible long-term cuts to city services

In October, Burbank City Council members looked at several possible deep cuts to city services that could help with the structural budget deficit expected over the next five years should they need to go that route.

Those sobering suggestions were back in front of council members Tuesday night, when Cindy Giraldo, the city’s financial services director, outlined what Burbank’s financial well-being would look like if several permanent cuts were made in each city department.

Burbank is projected to have a roughly $200,000 deficit during the 2018-19 fiscal year should Measure T — a ballot initiative that allows the city to continue transferring a portion of Burbank Water and Power’s electric revenue to the General Fund — be approved by voters in the June 5 primary election.

Should the ballot measure — which would allow the city to annually transfer about $12.8 million of electricity sales to the General Fund to use for street light upkeep — fail at the polls, the deficit for the upcoming fiscal year would balloon to about $12.4 million.

Each department was asked to go into their respective budgets and reduce costs by 10%, which could include a reduction or elimination of a service, and to cut staffing by a minimum of 10%.

In terms of cuts to the administrative and support departments, which include the City Council, city manager’s office, public information office, city clerk’s office and city attorney’s office, the city could save about $1.15 million.

Some of the cuts and reductions to those departments would include laying off about 30 people, discontinuing coverage of some public meetings, delaying all public processes and eliminating all travel.

The Management Services Department identified cutting $571,935 from its budget if it let go of about 15 employees, cut all youth employment programs, ended its Workforce Connection and annual Veteran’s Job Fair, as well as reduced recruitment services and training programs.

However, other city departments identified cuts that would have a larger impact.

The police department would be the most adversely affected out of all city departments, as it proposed to cut about $5.6 million from its budget. That would come by way of eliminating 12 sworn positions and 48 civilian employees, as well as eliminating the crossing-guard and school-resource officer programs, reducing officer staffing, ending the air support program and outsourcing the animal shelter.

The fire department reported that about $3.5 million could be cut if about 29 employees were laid off and the city closed Station 14. Additionally, fire officials proposed reducing staffing on Engine 13 and delaying fire investigations.

The Parks and Recreation Department identified about $1.8 million in savings if 26 employees were let go and if several programs, including all special events, school counseling and youth leadership, were discontinued.

Additionally, parks and recreation would also propose closing the Starlight Bowl and McCambridge Pool, reducing all facility hours and staffing and contracting out the home-delivery meal program.

The Library Services Department could save about $670,000 if seven positions were cut and the Northwest Branch Library was closed. The department also proposed to stop Sunday hours at all branches and reduce its materials budget.

The Community Development Department reported it could cut its budget by about $813,000 and reduce staffing by six employees. The savings would come by way of permanently reducing planning-counter hours and code-enforcement services as well as cutting its weekend services and decreasing building-inspection services.

The Public Works Department identified about $1.4 million in savings, which would involve eliminating about 11 positions, delaying pothole and sidewalk repairs by five days instead of one day and reducing landscape maintenance to a monthly or quarterly basis.

Giraldo said that if the City Council decided to approve all of the cuts and reductions to each department, it would result in a recurring savings of about $14.9 million annually. If council members do not want police and fire services cut, the savings would drop to about $5.8 million a year.

She also said that about $9 million in recurring savings could be made if employees pay half of their pension costs and if the city paid its employees at a market rate.

Though many cuts were proposed, Giraldo said the city needs to also identify another revenue source.

What has been proposed and discussed for about a year has been a 0.75% sales tax, which, according to a report in January would need to be supported by a majority of local voters. Should residents approve the sales tax, it is estimated it would generate about $20 million annually.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio