ProgressOhio

We are currently in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Given that, our current budget struggles, both at the city and state level, shouldn't be surprising.

Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman is just one of many leaders nationwide currently facing a tough budget battle.

• Mayor Bloomberg just announced that New York City may have to lay off 15,000 teachers and education employees.
• Another Mayor Coleman, Chris Coleman of St. Paul, Minnesota, is also cutting rec centers and working with unions to save money.

In a letter he released today, Mayor Coleman outlined some of the previous steps he's taken to balance the nearly $100 million budget gap:

This included some very painful choices, including the closure of recreation centers and pools, a cut in bulk collection, health center cuts, and 130 layoffs. [...] Since 2000, non-uniformed General Fund staffing is down 30%, and by the end of 2009, we'll have 400 less job positions than budgeted for in 2008. A quarter of the positions identified for layoff since August have been managers, administrators, supervisors....

[...]Despite this work, City Auditor Hugh Dorrian announced earlier this month that due to a reduction in income tax revenue, investment income, and aid from the state of Ohio, Columbus had an additional $13 million to make up in 2009. Again, we sat down with the Unions and asked their leaders to consider giving up their raises and longevity credits, saving $10 million.

The Ohio Constitution requires that state and municipal govenments operate under a balanced budget.

Given that over 70% of Columbus's budget goes to providing emergency / safety service, it is nearly impossible to address a budget shortfall of the magnitude we're facing without looking for savings there, as well.

WCMH 4's coverage of this issue has elicited some interesting responses from the community:

I work in a hospital and last year our cost of living increase was cut in half and this year we were asked to take a $1.00/hr cut, as well as less money to our pension to minimize lay-offs, we all grumbled but know that the economy is terrible and hospital census is down so this was just reality.  Police and fire are important, but more important than nurses and other hospital workers?  I applaud the fire union for agreeing to the pay freeze. 

Another reads:

In casual day to day conversations, I have experienced an overwhelming number of my fellow members who would have agreed to defer (as the firefighters did) or even concede the raises if we could avoid further layoffs to our fellow employees. 

One thing to note is that capital improvements (e.g. the new sewage system, roads, parks) are funded from a completely separate pool of money than the city's operating budget.  

While you can question whether an individual construction project is a necessity, there is clearly not tens of millions of dollars in easy cuts to be made out of the operating budget (available online here). Coleman's spokesman used an apt metaphor: "We cut through the fat, through the skin, and now we're into the bone."

Strong fiscal management has made Columbus the only city out of the nation's 25 largest to have AAA bond rating.  Strong fiscal management and a larger economic turnaround is what will see Columbus through this current crisis.