City of Tempe officials were on hand Tuesday to address citizen concerns over recent city job cuts and a lackluster economy at an early riser forum.
"We did the forum on the budget because of the job reductions," said City Manager Will Manley.
Tempe's estimated revenue for the 2002-2003 fiscal year was adjusted from $128.6 million to $120.4 million.
According to Manley, the elimination of 100 jobs was the only way to curb the estimated $8.2 million budget shortfall.
More than 50 percent of the city's budget revenue comes from retail sales tax.
Twenty-five positions had already been eliminated from the city's workforce and 75 more will be eliminated by July 1.
Due to a 5 percent decrease in sales tax revenue, the number of city employees was forced to reduce from 1,700 to 1,600.
Manley said he thought the forum was productive.
"They [the residents that attended the forum] were appreciative of the information the Mayor [Neil Giuliano] and I gave," Manley said.
Tempe Councilwoman Pam Goronkin said the job cuts are a "fact of life."
"In a period of declining sales tax revenue, which goes to pay salary and benefit packages, the job cuts are necessary," said Goronkin
"So far, we've eliminated jobs through the volunteer options available," Goronkin said. "We'll examine the possibility of layoffs by Dec. 1, if there aren't enough volunteers."
The Transit, Water Department and Housing are exempt from budget cuts, because they are either federally funded, receive funding through fees or are funded through a dedicated sales tax.
Reach the reporter at meagan.pollnow@asu.edu.
