(The Center Square) – The city of Yakima is scrambling for options to avoid $6 million in cuts to public safety after voters rejected a tax increase last week that would have bailed out the local government.
City Manager Vicki Baker attributed the $9 million deficit to the state’s 1% cap on annual property tax increases, inflation outpacing revenue growth and insufficient cuts over the years. One-time pandemic relief funding filled the gap until now, but with that gone, the council faces the reality of overspending.
The officials proposed a $6 million property tax hike last July to limit cuts to $3 million, but over 51% of voters rejected the bailout last week. While the council reduced general fund spending by $3 million over the summer, eliminating various nonessential expenditures, about $6 million in cuts remain on the table.
The council voted Wednesday to direct staff to find viable alternatives to some of these proposed cuts.
“Closing the fire station is the last thing that should ever be considered, because how do you make up that response time from our remaining stations?” Yakima Fire Chief Aaron Markham told the officials.
Finance Director Craig Warner proposed a $6.15 million cut package on Wednesday. If approved, the Yakima Police Department faces a $3 million budget cut, the Yakima Fire Department a $1.75 million cut, and Parks and Recreation a $1.4 million cut — not including $2.8 million in “unbudgeted needs.”
YPD would have to eliminate a dozen police officer positions — only two of which are currently filled — a sergeant, four community service officers and two analysts. YFD would have to close one fire station that receives roughly 10% of the total calls for service, which could impact mortgage insurance rates.
The council expressed a desire to find an alternative to closing the fire station and reducing personnel.
The $1.4 million cut to parks would eliminate general fund support for a community center, a pool and a senior citizen center, impacting up to 31 positions, with 23 of those jobs being seasonal. The move would also reduce the parks maintenance budget by 16%, in addition to the other cuts outlined above.
“In 2017, we had 148 police officers. With this next cut, we’re going to be at 124,” Police Chief Shawn Boyle said. “We’ve defunded 24 positions over the last seven or eight years, and so there’s no other way to get there but cutting people; … when they leave, we operate at about an 80% deployable rate.”
Several residents testified Wednesday, expressing strong concerns about the deficit and even greater opposition to the cuts. While some noted the potentially dangerous impact on YPD and YFD response times, others called on the city to exhaust all other cuts before reducing Parks and Recreation funding.
One resident said the social isolation for those using the senior center would be devastating, and two others said the impact on the community pool would upend the boys’ and girls’ swimming programs.
Public Works Director Scott Schafer said the 16% reduction in park maintenance would result in more graffiti and garbage around town. Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson told the council that he would prepare an estimate to help prevent the senior center and the pool from closing altogether.
The council will meet again next Tuesday, but has until the end of next month to vote on the cuts. They’ll consider alternatives if city staff propose viable options, but the officials have repeatedly said personnel account for the majority of departmental spending. The council also approved the 1% property tax hike allowed by state law on Wednesday; however, it will only generate about $223,000 in additional revenue.
“Many of you ran on a Republican ticket, and when Republicans run on Republican tickets and they say no new taxes, the voters tend to get really angry, and we just had a levy that failed,” political activist Kenton Gartrell testified. “Privilege is thinking that this wallet is someone else’s, other than mine. Your wallets, your purses are yours. No one else is entitled to that money except for what you work for.”
