Outside facilitator Ron Alexander coordinated a meeting
Wednesday in which Topekans voiced their views about
the city's 2011 budget. (Photo by Tim Hrenchir,
Topeka Capital-Journal)
A small gathering of Topekans told city officials at a public forum Wednesday they would rather see the city raise revenues than cut costs.
"I'm willing to pay more for the same level of service rather than have the level of service reduced," said Debbie Guilbault.
Guilbault was among 10 Topekans who voiced views at the 4 p.m. event in Logan Elementary School, 1124 N.W. Lyman Road, where city manager Norton Bonaparte sought input about what the public wants to see in the city's 2011 budget.
The forum was the first of two in which officials are hearing comments about the budget, which is being crafted at a time when the city faces a $4 million shortfall in its 2010 budget.
The next forum is set for 6 p.m. May 26 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th. Guilbault said she appreciated that city officials were willing to listen to the community.
Bonaparte and city finance director Jim Langford are preparing a proposed 2011 budget to present in early July to the city council, which will approve a final budget in August as it seeks to deal with this year's $4 million budget shortfall.
Langford gave a presentation about the current budget to those attending Wednesday's forum.
Ron Alexander, an outside facilitator made available through the Heartland Visioning program, then asked those on hand to identify priorities they would like to see funded in the 2011 budget.
Participants expressed priorities that included fixing the city's potholes, continuing the operation of the human relations department, adequately funding Topeka's transit service, making the city more environmentally friendly, continuing to subsidize the Sunflower State Games, and restoring funding to hold concerts in Gage Park and downtown Topeka.
Alexander next asked those on hand to identify steps they were willing to take to ensure their priorities could be funded. Some responded that they would be willing to make raising revenues a priority over cutting costs.
Guilbault expressed interest in an idea she had heard voiced at Wednesday's session to impose a temporary, quarter-cent sales tax to help tide the city over until the economy improves.
Jim Parker disagreed with the method, saying the sales tax has been "beaten to death," but indicated he would be willing to consider a modest increase in the city's property tax mill levy to help keep city workers off the unemployment line.
Larry Briggs, however, said he thought the city should seek to increase efficiencies before it even considers looking at ways to revenue enhancements
Realistically, Bonaparte told those on hand, the city will need to both raise revenues and cut costs.
Tim Hrenchir can be reached at (785) 295-1184 or tim.hrenchir@cjonline.com.