Councilmember Roney’s Budget Analysis 2024-25
… and there still aren’t enough votes for $18.25 for firefighters.
First, gratitude:
- Sharing the work. Thanks to neighbors who engaged through this tough budget season, including surveys, emails, and public hearings!
- Living Wages: While none of the proposed budget options secure $22.10-hour based on housing costs, public pressure = small wins.
- Public Safety: Thanks for pushing us to partner for expansion of Community Paramedicine, to send the person with the right tools during crisis including opioid overdose and behavioral health, connecting this decision to Reimagining Public Safety and the Business Improvement District votes.
What’s in the budget and not yet:
- In the budget: Maintaining public services while costs rise, keeping momentum with the Urban Forest Master Plan, continued Reparations funding, expanding APD’s drone program, bolstering Community Responder program with opioid settlement funds (fewer resources than Community Paramedics.)
- Not yet: Living wage compliance based on housing costs, violence interrupter funding, Strategic Partnership Fund growth.
- More work ahead: Let’s talk about why there still aren’t enough votes to pay our firefighters their compromised minimum of $18.25-hour…
City Manager’s Original Budget
The budget as presented on May 14th included:
- Using over $7-million in general fund balance, dipping into the City’s savings account.
- A 4.11% across the board salary raise that disproportionately benefits staff with highest salaries, leaving lowest paid staff at $19-hr while living wages are at $22.10-hour.
- No property tax increase this year, likely future tax increases in addition to this year’s County’s property tax revaluation.
Manager’s Alternative Budget as of June 6th, 2024
- Maintains 4.11% increase for highest paid or minimum $2,400 raise, whichever is greater
- AFD minimum salary $50,309 for 2,912 hours ($17.28-hour)
- APD minimum salary $50,309 for 2,080 hours ($24.19-hour)
Additional $1.26-million cost, proposing small tax increase in same year as 5-6 other tax and fee increases including BID, bonds, County tax revaluation and increase, and service fee increases including stormwater and sanitation. This appears to have majority Council support.
Optional Alternative Budget
- Provide every City staff member a $2,400 raise, minimum $41,920 ($20.15-hour)
- AFD minimum salary $53.144 for 2,912 hours ($18.25-hour) as proposed by firefighter union
- APD minimum salary $50,309 for 2,080 hours ($24.19-hour)
- Some compression issues for future resolution
To prevent property tax increase, requires additional fund balance and prioritizing budget, include delaying transit study (time to work with County) or housing trust fund (would replace with housing bond funds.) I’m in, but this doesn’t yet have at least 4 votes needed to pass.
How we fund the budget matters!
- Another year of balancing the budget with significant fund balance (savings) means we haven’t yet identified the resources to balance future budgets.
- Equitable, affordable housing is a Strategic Priority of this Council, but we’re leaving our own staff behind $22.10-hour living wages, necessary to ensure quality public services.
- I appreciate and join colleagues supporting creative, community-led and firefighter union-supported solutions that get us closer to living wages while using existing resources.
I’m committed to racial & economic justice through:
- Affordability
- Public Safety
- Climate & Neighborhood Resiliency
Shifting the narrative requires shared work. I’m prepared to join colleagues supporting the optional alternative budget that includes raises for all staff and the $18.25-hour proposal by the firefighters IAFF Local 332. If we don’t have enough votes, I am prepared to vote “no.”
I welcome feedback on my budget vote: kimroney@avlcouncil.com