City budget-cut scenarios cited

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer

City budget director Caroll Takahashi yesterday said the 5 percent budget cuts proposed by the City Council could result in layoffs of 146 workers and departments running short of such basic supplies as fertilizer, equipment rental fees and gas money.

But Council Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi said she wants the administration to work with her in trimming vacant positions and cutting spending on non-core city services.

"This is only a first cut," Kobayashi said. "Once we get more information from them, we can put together a better budget."

Takahashi told Council members that the cuts would reduce the size of police recruits trained annually by 60 positions, at a time when police lose 150 officers each year.

But Council members bristled at the dire scenarios.

"Our finances are very bleak," Kobayashi said.

"We want to get down to the point where we can balance the budget in a normal way without taking any money out of the sewer fund because we need the money in there for sewer repairs," she said.

Kobayashi said she was disappointed Mayor Jeremy Harris described the budget as "irresponsible" and blasted the cuts.

Councilman Gary Okino said he remains concerned that the city is postponing major work on sewers, road repair and federally required sidewalk modifications to provide improved accessibility to disabled people.

"You mortgaged our future," he told Takahashi. "You pushed all of this stuff into the future so you could balance the budget today and we're going to be stuck with the problems tomorrow."

Councilman Jon Yoshimura urged his colleagues to discuss the cuts with the administration. "All I see is conflict. I don't see any cooperation."

Yoshimura said he knows that the rest of the Council doesn't want to rubber-stamp administration proposals but sees more room for change through cooperation.

Okino said compromise is possible when the Council gets more information. "We are making progress."