SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane continues looking for a way out of its $50 million budget deficit.
We could learn what potential solutions look like this week.
With major budget cuts looming over the city of Spokane, the big question now is 'Will there be layoffs?'
At this point, it's too soon to say, but it's not entirely off the table.
Since the beginning of her term, Mayor Lisa Brown has held monthly budget meetings with the City Council.
She asked all city departments to see what impacts a 10% budget reduction would look like. City leaders are expected to review those impacts at the budget meeting on Thursday, July 18.
The mayor's office says potential reductions could include employee layoffs and renegotiated technology contracts.
"It's a really, really difficult situation right now," Spokane City Councilmember Michael Cathcart said.
Cathcart supports the idea of layoffs. As the city's finance chair, he also recognizes layoffs are part of many difficult decisions that will balance the city's budget.
"Most of city government spending is personnel, and that's kind of, generally, how it works," Cathcart said. "And I don't want to see anybody lose their job, but if we're going to have layoffs, and I do believe that that's the only way we're going to solve this, the best thing we can do is to let our employees know now so that they have adequate time to go seek other employment."
Cathcart does believe the number of layoffs could be reduced by renegotiating agreements with union partners.
In the meantime, the city department that reproduces and duplicates documents, written materials, and designs will be shut down.
The mayor also already initiated two cabinet-level furlough days. Last week, City Council also approved a cost-saving measure to offer voluntary retirement to 25 police officers.
The deadline to apply for the first incentive is August 1.
The president of the union that represents Spokane city employees says the union has had no official conversations with the mayor or her staff about layoffs. Still, he says his members are concerned about the idea of losing their positions.