Monroe may cut police, other city workers to make budget

Published 10:43 pm Tuesday, July 27, 2010

MONROE – The City Council was debating late Tuesday night about whether to layoff as many as 10 city employees including three police officers.

Mayor Robert Zimmerman proposed the cuts, which could occur by October. Zimmerman said the city needs to deal with a growing deficit this year that will carry into 2011.

The council was considering cuts to pay raises and benefits for non-union employees to save one of the jobs for patrol officers. Two other police officer positions and two non-sworn positions in the police department were at risk.

The council was looking at other options including raising property taxes and forgoing the council stipends.

“We need to find a way to slow down spending,” Councilman Tom Williams said.

The council also decided to ask the unions for concessions.

The deficit for this year stands at $237,000 and that could grow to $758,000 next year. The city’s general fund budget this year is $10.267 million.

The council voted 5-0 to cut $130,000 the city pays to the YMCA. That could save three positions outside of the police department.

Councilwoman Patsy Cudaback, who is the executive director of Monroe’s YMCA, recused herself from that vote.

The city of Lynnwood also is looking at making cuts as it prepares its next two-year budget. That city is considering cutting as many as 23 positions from its police force or about a quarter of the department.