EVERETT — The Everett City Council voted 5-2 Wednesday to support Mayor Ray Stephanson’s $3.5 million in budget cuts.
The mayor didn’t need council approval for the 24 employee layoffs and cuts in parks, library and other services, but he sought it anyway, "in the spirit of cooperation and being together on this important matter."
The budget debate was at times heated, both from the council dais and the podium, where 16 people spoke their minds on the cuts.
Several speakers and council members argued that the mayor was wrong to cut jobs and programs while the city carries a $24 million surplus. But Councilwoman Brenda Stonecipher argued that sharply increasing health care costs and reduced revenue because of property-tax cuts instituted by Initiative 747 have permanently changed the city’s budget picture.
"If your income goes down permanently, you can’t continue to spend the way you’ve been spending," she said.
Stonecipher, City Council President Arlan Hatloe and council members Doug Campbell, Marian Krell and Bob Overstreet voted for the cuts to the 2004 budget.
Councilmen Ron Gipson and Mark Olson voted against them. Both are thinking of running against Stephanson in next year’s mayoral election.
Hatloe, Campbell, Krell and Overstreet voted only four months ago to approve the full budget, which at the time included the $3.5 million in spending that was cut Wednesday. Stonecipher was elected in November and did not take office until January.
That prompted Gipson to ask his colleagues: "What has changed since 2003, when we set these levels? … What did we do wrong last year? We didn’t do anything wrong. As budget chairman, no one came before me and said the sky was falling."
Krell said that when she voted for the budget in December she didn’t realize how "woefully underfunded" the funds for construction projects were. "That is what we need the surplus funds for," she said.
Stonecipher agreed. Many projects have been on hold, she said, including development of a park in Silver Lake and paths and other public-access improvements along Everett’s waterfront.
Olson tried to amend the budget to restore $170,000 in park maintenance spending. Parks are among the "crown jewels" of Everett, and residents expect well-maintained parks, he said. But only Gipson supported the move.
"This is the mayor’s budget," Hatloe said. "If we start changing some numbers here, we’d start doing his job."
Gipson pointed out that many of the cuts target parks and libraries, which residents — especially those with lower incomes — rely on for free or low-cost services.
"These cuts are hitting people who are socially and economically challenged," he said. "That’s not right."
Stephanson said he tried to mitigate the effect of some of the cuts. Parks arts classes that were cut are being taken on by the Arts Council of Snohomish County. And the mayor was scheduled to meet Wednesday night with parents of children on the Everett Parks Sharks swim team, which was eliminated in the budget cuts. The YMCA of Snohomish County is considering whether to host the swim team.
But reference librarian Cameron Johnson, in urging the council to reject the mayor’s budget cuts, accused Stephanson of insensitivity.
"Today the council has an opportunity to ask itself, ‘Are you going to be for a slash-and-burn private-sector mentality?’" he said.
Resident Gary Meisner said the cuts are fiscally responsible and "modest compared with the size of the budget." With the $3.5 million in cuts, the city’s general government budget will be $92.6 million.
"It’s not the mission of municipal government to guarantee employment to anyone," he said.
Gary Doughty, who retired as a city planner on Jan. 31, suggested to the council and mayor that they consider offering employees early retirement incentives, including paying for a portion of after-retirement health costs, to avoid further layoffs.
Stephanson said early retirement incentives are one of several approaches he is looking at to balance the 2005 budget.
Reporter David Olson: 425-339-3452 or dolson@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
