Mind the Gap! Kirkland’s 2009-2010 budget shortfall climbs to $13.1 Million
Just two days after the election, the City of Kirkland announces a Special Study Session for the City Council to discuss some sobering news: the 2009-2010 mid-biennial budget “gap” has risen to a whopping $13.1 million.
The table below summarizes the revised shortfall projection and the staff’s recommended strategies for closing the “gap.” The decisions on where to cut and by how much will be in the hands of the Council.
You can download the Council Packet explaining the details of the $13.1 million “gap” here.
Posted by Rob Butcher on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Filed under Council, Documents, Headlines · Tagged with Budget
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Being a new resident, I’m curious to know how the annexation will impact our budget. Did I miss the vote of Kirkland residents approving the annexation before I moved here?
I’m having a problem understanding how the city works, what everyone’s responsibilities are, etc. Are their individual responsibilities of each of the council members? Where are all the documents, pending and approved by the city council, not just the minutes to read, actual documents in a list?
Why don’t we have a full time mayor that we elect (like the other big cities do) instead of hiring a manager? At this point, it seems to me that’s necessary due to our growing size.
Love Kirkland and look forward to learning all about my new town.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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It’s important that everyone in Kirkland knows what they are facing in the future. Toward that end, I submit the following.
Annexation hoopla now, horror later.
Once all the hoopla about annexation is over, there will come a time for everyone to pay for it – at first by the current Kirkland citizens for two years and then by everyone in 2012 when the revenue from the PAA will start to flow into city coffers. Kirkland has already paid more than a million, is experiencing a reduction of services, and will require citizens to sacrifice their quality of life in order to make annexation work.
There is no compensation that covers the cost. It will not overcome the horror we’ll face when we’ll have to pay to maintain service levels, to provide capital facilities, and to cover the operating cost for the new hires. The current budget shortfall of 13.1M is just a drop in the bucket. As time goes on, we’ll need a bigger bucket.
It’s fine to be optimistic but Kirkland will change. Like the Mayor said, we have the capability to cover the cost for annexation. Unfortunately, it will create even more budgetary horrors that have a high probability for turning our dreams into nightmares.
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Ann B.-
Welcome to Kirkland. Here are some answers.
“Where are all the documents, pending and approved by the city council, not just the minutes to read, actual documents in a list?”
You can read all this in the the Council “packets” there is one put out before each meeting. For past ones, go to the following page and click on “Agenda” for a particular date’s meeting
http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/council/Minutes.htm
Then, click on the link near the top of that specific agenda page that says “To download the full council E-Packet … click here.” You’ll get 300-500 pages of insomnia-curing reading, but the stuff you want is in there and can be found more easily by searching for key words.
“Did I miss the vote of Kirkland residents approving the annexation before I moved here?”
No, residents didn’t get to vote. Someone else can provide details, their blood pressure willing.
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Ann B.,
I second “Downtowner” and Welcome You to Kirkland.
If you want to keep up with what’s “going on” at City Hall, you can jump to:
http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/E-Bulletins.htm
and subscribe to the “Kirkland E-Mail Alerts”.
You will have more to read (some VERY interesting, some VERY dry) than you have time for.
And yes, the residents did not get a chance to “vote” on annexation. But there were many chances to many voice concerns nevertheless (if someone listened).
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