PLAN TO MOVE CINCINNATI TOWARD A 20-YEAR STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET

By Charlie Winburn

MOVING THE CITY BUDGET TOWARD A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED BUDGET WITH VIEW TOWARD CREATING AND RETAINING PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES OR PRIVATIZING CITY PARKING

2. Use $4 million dollars of the anticipated $10-¬‐$12.7 million dollars casino revenue that was dedicated to the Focus 52 Fund to support a structurally balanced budget for the next 20 years (Focus 52 Fund shall be fully funded out of city capital budget).

3. Execute a 15%-¬‐20% across the board budget cut relative to salary adjustments or furloughs exempting basic city services such as police, fire, health, garbage, recreation, parks and road paving. These cuts will amount to approximately $14.6 million dollars a year for the next 20 years in the other non-¬‐exempt city departments and divisions. (Salary reductions can be restored if the city's economic conditions are improved).

4. Nearly $2.6 million dollars additional revenue should be added to the general fund budget from the annual net operating revenue from off-street parking, on-street parking, and parking tickets. ($3.7 million dollars of the parking ticket revenue also goes to the General Fund Budget from this annual net operating revenue).

5. This proposal recommends $29.9 million dollars revenue coupled with budget cuts to balance the city budget for the 20 years starting 7/1/2013 and ending 12/31/2034. (The City Manager only needs $25.8 million dollars for a Fund Balance Reserve to assist with fiscal year 2014. However, this plan of $29.9 million dollars will be in place for the next 20 years without kicking the budget can down the road if the city would stop over spending taxpayer dollars). However, the city manager's parking plan appears to balance the city budget for at least 6 months to 2 years.

6. Also, this plan will have no layoffs unlike the city manager's Plan "B" proposal that will include surplusing 344 hard working, productive employees without union approval. However, Plan "C" will need the approval of unions relative to salary adjustments or furloughs.

7. The City Manager's Plan `A" which is privatizing parking appears to only bring a temporary city budget fix for 6 months to 2 years.

8. The City Manager's Plan "B" which calls for laying-¬‐off police officers and fire fighters is "unrealistic" and will jeopardize the public safety of Cincinnati

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Winburn Plan Plan C

1. No lay offs
2. 0 police positions eliminated
3. 0 Fire Department positions eliminated
4. Salary adjustments 15-¬‐20 % adjustments
5. Need union approval for salary adjustments or furloughs
6. Move toward structurally balanced city budget to prevent future job loss

The City Manager Plan B

1. Total of 344 union lay-offs
2. 189 police positions eliminated
3. 80 Fire Department positions eliminated
4. No salary adjustments or furloughs
5. Does not require union approval to eliminate 344 Union jobs
6. Does not address structurally balancing the budget to prevent future job loss

"There is absolutely no reason for City Council to privatize or outsource parking to balance the city budget because the aforemen6oned plan will help us balance the city budget for the next 20 years without privatization and outsourcing parking or raising taxes. Furthermore, it moves us toward a structurally balanced city budget so that we will be able to retain more jobs as well as create jobs in the private sector long term."