City plans 5% cuts to all departments

City Hall executives are drafting plans for budget cuts of at least 5% for the upcoming fiscal year, but even those reductions aren’t expected to cover the projected $8.8-million shortfall.

Cutting 5% from each city department should generate $5.7 million in savings, according to the city, leaving a roughly $3-million gap still to fill.

Financial Services Director Cindy Giraldo said the budget process would require a multi-pronged approach.

“We’ll have to use a combination of revenue-enhancement strategies, take a look at business-process improvements and efficiencies and examine labor and service,” Giraldo said.

The Police Department, with the largest chunk of the budget, has already turned to the Police Commission for suggestions on how to cut $1.9 million.

“We deal with people, rather than things,” interim Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse said last week. “We can’t sell off real estate or consolidate units like other departments.”

LaChasse asked the commissioners for input on where to start on the cuts and anything they would like to see as priorities for the department.

With suggestions ranging from reducing overtime, regional consolidation and keeping a fully staffed department, it was the first time the Police Commission was asked for input on the department’s budget.

“We absolutely look for suggestions from every possible source,” Giraldo said. “We take ideas from everyone because this is going to be a team effort.”