Facing $5 million budget hole, Asheville City Council calls a town hall meeting

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Asheville City Council wants the public to come out and hear budget-balancing strategies, so get off work at 2 p.m. and hit the Cellular Center. Or just email City Council to suck it up and do what we elected them to do – make the tough decisions and stop crying about it:

The public is encouraged to attend an Asheville City Council budget work session and town hall meeting Wednesday April 3 at 2 p.m. in the Banquet Hall of the U.S. Cellular Center. The meeting is an opportunity for Asheville city staff to present to Council and the public budget challenges for the upcoming year and to outline fiscal realities the city may face in light of pending legislative action by the North Carolina General Assembly.

The City of Asheville currently faces a $2 million gap in revenues versus expenditures. Potential budget balancing strategies to close the gap were introduced at a March 12 Council Budget work session. Financial analysis indicates that legislation currently in the North Carolina General Assembly could widen that gap to $5.7 million. The purpose of the town hall meeting is to begin contingency planning in earnest for a $5.7 million gap. City staff will present strategies and answer Council’s questions for balancing the budget, and the public will have the chance to share input about strategies.

Additional information about the City of Asheville’s budget and ways for members of the public to stay engaged in the budget process will be available at the meeting. For background on the City of Asheville’s budget process and staff reports on current fiscal challenges, go to:

http://ashevillenc.gov/budget.

Budget documents here for city of Asheville.

7 Comments

Big Al April 7, 2013 - 10:20 am

It is bad enough that Asheville cannot live within a budget and has to go into debt 2 million dollars on its’ own, now they complain that they are denied 3.7 million more dollars from the state? Apparently Asheville thinks it is so important that others need to join them in indebtedness to satisfy Asheville’s desires.

Good on ya, NC!

At least SOMEBODY is addressing the basic madness of our economic troubles. We certainly cannot rely on our Socialist President, Congress, or City Council. All three only know one broken record of a plan: overspend, overtax, wash, rinse, repeat.

Murphy April 3, 2013 - 4:51 pm

well now there saying these cut will result in closure of the City’s pools, the “WNC” Nature Center, a Fire Dept location, and the end to youth and adult sports leagues …

Scott April 3, 2013 - 8:05 am

Like good little democrats, they will piss and moan about how they have cut expenses to the bone and need more revenue. Bend over City of Asheville residents.

Sean April 3, 2013 - 3:28 am

I’m confused. The city is estimating an additional $3.7 million in budget shortfalls based on pending state legislation. The lion’s share of this amount is said to be the inability of the city to use 5% of Water Department revenues if the bill is passed. They go on to explain that this 5% funds capital improvements, namely “touristy Lexington Avenue paving” and sidewalk construction. With this in mind, isn’t it a bit disingenuous to include that amount in the overall budget? It would seem on its face to be a sum of money that is a luxury and not necessary for core municipal services.

As for the $2 million expected shortfall, isn’t this the same line we have heard year after year? Council still seems to find money for pet projects and to hire department heads at exorbitant salaries each year (occasionally obfuscated by calling them “reclassifications”). Here’s a thought….listen to Jason and do your damn job. The actual taxpayers in this city expect the fire department to come when they have a fire, the police to come when someone is breaking down their door, and the garbage truck to empty their can once a week. Oh, and fix the damn pothole in the street. Everything else is a “nice to have”, but not a “need to have”. If folks want more, then they can pay for it. The Bele Chere discussions are a fine example of this; I have read where Council has stated publicly that they “would support a private party taking the reins, and would contribute police and street department services to the event.” What do they think it is that makes the festival cost so much? Overtime. You want to keep Bele Chere? Cough it up, pal.

Before I relinquish my soapbox, here’s one more thing….all of you that have an out-of-state tag on your car and want the city to install a sidewalk in front of your rental house? Yeah…I’m talking to you. Get a North Carolina tag. Today. Not when your Colorado plate expires in six months….NOW. I’m tired of MY tax dollars paying for YOU. Get a NC tag, and then you can bitch right along with me. You know who you are, and everyone reading this knows you, too.

OK. I’m done.

luther blissett April 3, 2013 - 8:48 pm

‘Everything else is a “nice to have”, but not a “need to have”.’

And that’s the kind of divide-and-conquer approach that the reactionaries in Raleigh (and local windbags like Peck and Cates) want to cultivate. Just because something’s a “nice to have” in your opinion doesn’t mean it isn’t a “need to have” for the city as a whole. You seem to regard sidewalk construction as a non-core service; tell that to the people who now no longer have to tramp along grassy verges on Tunnel Road near the VA.

Sean April 4, 2013 - 12:02 pm

You’re right. What was I thinking? Closing a fire station and the Nature Center are much better ideas than to curb sidewalk construction for a bit.

Once the fire station is closed, perhaps those living near it whose homeowners’ insurance rates rise as a result can come talk to you. And you can advise them to “tell it to the people who no longer have to tramp along grassy verges.”

Big Al April 7, 2013 - 10:18 am

Not to mention illegal immigrants. Not only do WE pay for their healthcare at local hospitals, but they (and their treasonous American advocates) DEMAND that we also pay for the cost of translation services because THEY refuse to assimilate and learn English.

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