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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Office of the Mayor <br /> <br />NEWS RELEASE <br />September 14, 2009 <br />3:30 p.m. <br /> <br />Public reviews 2010 budget; Code restored to full time <br /> <br />Contact: <br />Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 <br /> <br />Neighborhood code enforcement inspectors will be restored to full-time in the City of <br />South Bend’s proposed 2010 budget that comes before a public hearing at tonight’s South <br />Bend Common Council meeting. <br /> <br />Inspectors in the Department of Code Enforcement originally had proposed cutting back <br />to 32-hour work weeks as a way to retain all staff. But Mayor Stephen J. Luecke said the <br />priority given to undiminished code enforcement during the Council’s summer budget <br />hearings led City officials to re-adjust other allocations in order to retain all Code <br />inspectors at full-time levels. <br /> <br />The public hearing takes place in the city council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. in the fourth <br />floor Council Chambers of the County-City Building. Here are other highlights of the <br />proposed 2010 budget: <br /> <br />? <br /> GENERAL FUND BUDGET CUT 8%: <br />The City’s General Fund budget for 2010 <br />of $61.954 million represents an 8 reduction due to revenues lost as a result of the <br /> <br />property tax cuts. <br /> <br />? <br /> PUBLIC SAFETY AT FULL STRENGTH: <br />Thanks to the Public Safety Local <br />Option Income Tax and federal stimulus funding, the Police and Fire departments are <br />budgeted at full strength for 2010. The Police department has funding for 260 sworn <br />officers, while the Fire department can sustain 248 sworn firefighters. While the <br />additional funding restores the on-street public safety presence, it allows no room for <br />new operations growth. Collective bargaining negotiations continue with <br />representatives of employees in both police and fire departments to make changes to <br /> <br />allow the fund restoration to work effectively to deliver services. <br /> <br />? <br /> PARKS FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS PRESERVED: <br />Local Option Income <br /> <br />