Staff Cuts, Service Fees Weighed in Budget Plan : Finances: Layoffs of up to 25 employees are part of a worst-case scenario. Higher parking prices and a fire assessment district also considered to offset projected $6.4-million shortfall.

Facing a $6.4-million shortfall, Glendale financial planners propose that the city either eliminate up to 69 city employees or begin to charge service fees or institute a combination of the two measures.

The cutbacks in staff represent a worst-case scenario as the city anticipates a shortfall of $3.2 million from a shift of property tax revenues to the state, and an additional $3.2 million in wage increases for city employees.

Most of the 69 positions would be eliminated by attrition and freezing currently vacant positions, but the preliminary balanced budget released Tuesday also calls for 25 layoffs. The cutbacks would be spread among virtually all city departments.

Preliminary figures anticipate a $325-million city budget for 1993-94, which includes $78.8 million in general funds, a 4.5% decrease from last year. About 85% of the general funds are spent on employee salaries and benefits.

City employee union representatives say they are in the midst of negotiations with city officials to minimize the staff cutbacks. Under existing contracts, general city employees are entitled to a 2.75% wage increase, and police and firefighters would get a 4% increase.

Finance Director Brian Butler said if all city employees agreed to a freeze on cost-of-living wage increases and compensation for the next fiscal year, that would solve half the deficit problem.

“There is no doubt in my mind there would be no layoffs,” Butler said.

But rather than a freeze, employees would prefer a combination of smaller wage hikes and furloughs, said Art Sandoz, president of the Glendale City Employee Assn., the largest union with about 1,300 members.

Representatives for the Glendale Police Officers Assn. and Glendale Firefighters Assn. said their negotiations with the city are too premature for them to comment on the proposed cuts.

City Manager David H. Ramsay advised the City Council to accept the budget as a starting base, then consider the service fees to offset the cutbacks. Adjustments to “add back” can be made accordingly when the state finishes its budget by July 1 and the employee associations respond with their final proposals, he said.

“What we have to do is get over the denial syndrome and prepare for the worst-case scenario and confront (the employee unions),” Ramsay said. “After that, anybody else’s (the state and the union) movement will be good news.”

The cutbacks would mean slower response times for police and fire services; reduced maintenance for city parks and fewer recreation programs; opening the Glendale Central Library five days a week instead of the present six days, and shorter hours for the branch libraries, Ramsay said.

Potential fees could include higher parking prices and fees for responding to accidents involving drunken driving.

City planners are proposing to form a citywide assessment district to help pay for basic fire services.

The assessment would range from $25.50 per year for an average single-family dwelling to more than $400 for heavy manufacturing facilities, according to Fire Chief Rich Hinz.

Hinz said a department budget shortfall of $1.28 million--large enough to shut down one of nine fire stations--has spurred the City Council to consider the assessment district for the 1993-94 fiscal year. A state law allows cities to create a district tax for fire departments.

“That kind of fee . . . is making people angry all the time because they have been getting that service without the new fee,” Mayor Larry Zarian said. “I would rather encourage making money in other ways . . . by bringing in new businesses rather than tax people.”

But although some residents who gathered at a town hall meeting Tuesday night voiced concerns about the rising cost of running the city, most were mainly interested in more information about the budget process. And others such as Edwin Croft said he would support the fire tax because he views it necessary for a growing city like Glendale.

“I don’t think two nights at a pizza parlor is worth more than a fire department,” Croft said. “I am in favor of keeping the services, especially fire or police (services).”

The council also will consider raising monthly service fees, which could mean an additional 96 cents a month for sewer, 71 cents for trash pickup, 31 cents for water and 38 cents for electricity.

“My overriding goal in looking at this is fiscal stability for the long run and high quality of service for Glendale,” Councilwoman Eileen Givens said. “It’s going to be a combination of service-level cuts and personnel, and revenue raising from someplace somehow.”

But Ginger Bremberg, a longtime Glendale resident and former mayor, said she would much rather see staffing cuts than new taxes.

“I think they should bite the bullet and say some of the positions have got to go,” Bremberg said. “It doesn’t take four people to change a light bulb.”