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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Office of the Mayor <br /> <br />NEWS RELEASE <br />September 22, 2008 <br />2:00 PM <br /> <br />Public hearing set for tonight on City’s 2009 budget <br /> <br />Contact: <br />Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 <br /> <br />or Catherine M. Fanello, City Controller, 235-9216 <br /> <br />When Common Council conducts a public hearing today on the City’s proposed 2009 <br />budget at its 7 p.m. regular meeting, officials will present a baseline budget, which <br />anticipates funding to provide full services for residents and businesses in South Bend. <br /> <br />The 403-page budget document will show a slight 0.4 percent increase in the overall <br />2008 general fund budget of $67.3 million. The rise includes a 2 percent increase in <br />salary for non-bargaining employees and 2.2 percent and 1.65 percent increases, <br />respectively, for police and firefighters. Firefighters also negotiated for and will receive <br />longevity pay. <br /> <br />“This budget provides the City maximum flexibility in continuing the services on which <br />our residents and businesses depend,” said Mayor Stephen J. Luecke. “If new sources of <br />revenue are found, this baseline budget will enable the City to continue providing <br />services at essentially the same level as in 2008. If there are no additional sources of <br />revenue for 2009, we will return to the Council with a reduced appropriation that will <br />reflect the spending plan outlined in the summer’s budget presentations.” <br /> <br />Those proposed spending plans for 2009 and 2010 showed the severe reductions in <br />services that would be necessary if revenues lost to the property tax caps are not replaced. <br />Introduced during Council budget hearings this summer, the spending plan slashes the <br />City's budget by 27 percent overall by 2010, including: <br /> <br />?Cuts of more than 200 personnel, including 53 firefighters and 40 police officers. <br /> <br />?Elimination of all school crossing guards in 2009 as well as after-school programs <br />and funding for many community-based social-service providers. <br /> <br />?Closure of all city pools, many landmark park facilities, summer playground sites and <br />recreation centers. <br /> <br />?Pay freezes for many city employees along with voluntary 5 percent pay cuts for <br /> <br />