Monday, May 05, 2008
Editorial: Roanoke's budget pinches all
Roanoke firefighters are alarmed by proposed budget cuts. They need to give up something.
From the RoundTable blog
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Roanoke firefighters raise a legitimate point in opposition to the city's proposed budget: They need four firefighters to run the versatile fire truck called a quint. Council last year promised that level of staffing, but the proposed budget would strip the trucks to three firefighters.
That, they claim, is not enough personnel to fight fires on arrival (as two are required to enter burning structures while two stay outside). Firefighters, the public and the department's coveted accreditation would all stand at risk.
On this point, council should go back to Fire-EMS Department Chief David Hoback and direct him to make budget revisions that protect the front line of public safety. But firefighters must realize they'll have to give up something else and back away from the intimidation tactics they displayed during the budget hearing. (About 90 of them crowded into council chambers, rising to stand in solidarity behind their speakers.)
Roanoke faces a severe budget crunch. Revenue from the state has fallen even for mandated programs, causing the city to shoulder more of the burden. Meanwhile some costs, such as fuel, have soared. Many city revenue streams are flat or down -- sales tax and business tax revenue have declined.
Property tax revenue will go up some. Though the tax rate is expected to remain unchanged, assessed property values have risen, which means taxpayers will pay more.
Overall, the proposed budget attempts to strike a balance between covering what is necessary and squeezing out what is not. Each department head, including the fire chief, was given the assignment to make drastic cuts.
While the city plans to increase fuel and overtime spending 45 percent, or $342,000, for the fire department, about $345,000 needed to be cut from administration and operations.
The bottom line means six uniformed positions are targeted for elimination. Firefighters claim these cuts will have a huge impact, and they wonder why administrative positions weren't chopped instead.
They could be overreacting or they could have a legitimate gripe. Before council adopts this budget, it should hear from Hoback to make sure the right cuts were made.
