Selma City Council cuts budget

Published 12:49 am Saturday, October 30, 2010

Cuts in travel, purchases and discretionary funds, among other trims in expenses have resulted in a balanced budget for the city of Selma.

The Selma City Council approved its budget Tuesday after weeks of going over various drafts and trimming here and there.

The budget is $904,497.46 less than for fiscal 2010, which ended Sept. 30. The approved 2010 budget was $17,285,099.56. The approved 2011 budget is $16,380,602.

Email newsletter signup

Mayor George Evans said the current year’s budget is lower to accommodate less in sales tax revenues, which finances a majority of city services. The city also receives revenue from fees, such as business licenses, and from property taxes.

“The majority of those come in during January though March,” he said.

Council President Cecil Williamson called the budget, “one we can live with.”

Evans’ office gave up $23,485 in expenses, bringing down the mayor’s office budget from $187,568 in 2010 to $164,082 for the current year. The largest cuts were $4,000 in travel; $9,659 in wages and salaries for staff and $2,000 in special projects.

The council slashed its budget by $12,094.55, from $227,137 to $215,042.45. The council cut its travel by $9,311 from $27,311 to $18,000 for the current year. Money earmarked as special projects dropped $1,625, from $2,625 in 2010 to $1,000 in 2011.

Both the mayor’s office and the council cut their discretionary funds by $15,000, from $80,000 in 2010 to $65,000 for the current year.

Other department cuts included:

• City Clerk, from $193,594 to $84,926.54, a total of $108,667.45

• Building Inspector’s Office, from $129,9000 to $129,799.80, a total of $100.20

• Code Enforcement Department, from $123,710 to $122,175.99, a total of $1,534.01

• Personnel Department, from $200,995 to $180,392.08, a total of $20,602.92

• Finance Department, from $237,153 to $226,091.93, a total of $11,061.07

• Cemetery Department, from $432,271 to $419,877, a total of $12,393.92

• Public Buildings, from $549,050 to 534,201.13, a total of $14,848.87

• Police Department, from $4,724,090 to 4,356,211.35, a total of $367,878.65

• Judicial Department, from $229,865 to $211,403.81, a total of $18,461.19

• Public Works Department, from $2,168,218.37 to $1,866,932.85, a total of $301,285.72

• Recreation Department, from $779,194 to 757,785.31, a total of $21,408.69