Cairo mayor: Budget plan shows $600,000 shortfall

CAIRO, Ill., -- A $2.2 million proposed city budget foresees spending approximately $600,000 over expected revenue, Mayor Paul Farris said Tuesday night after a public hearing on the spending plan.

Farris, however, said it is up to the city council, not him, to propose changes to bring expenses in line with income. "We'll see what they come up with Tuesday night."

Councilman Joseph Thurston took up the challenge. He promised after the meeting to present changes that would cut up to $500,000, acknowledging that would still leave a large amount to pare away. "It will be close," Thurston said.

The public hearing was called by Farris, who has said state law requires a budget be completed by July 31. He has hinted that failure to pass a budget could shut down city government.

In an interview after the Tuesday meeting, he declined to repeat that assertion.

If passed by July 31, the budget would be the first passed by the deadline in Farris' tenure as mayor. In past years, city government has functioned without interruption.

During the meeting, several people expressed frustration at both the mayor and council for the constant feuding that has left large portions of city business unfinished at recent meetings. "The people from the mayor on down have got to get off their high horse," Cairo resident Diane Thomas said.

Brick by brick

One of the few bright spots in the revenue picture comes from selling bricks from a crumbling school. City attorney Patrick Cox said his inquiries have shown there may be as many as three million bricks in the long-abandoned Elmwood School, which could net Cairo as much as $500,000.

Major spending areas of the budget include $647,100 for city administration -- including $106,000 to cover the contract Farris signed for Cox's services. Other items include $569,800 to operate the police department, $249,350 to operate the fire department and $413,500 for the street department.

During the public hearing, Thurston said he sees room for cuts in the administration budget. "To me, the money is in the wrong place, for elected officials, department heads and the city attorney. This town has got to live within its means."

During the hearing, residents recited the litany of problems that have made Cairo insolvent: little industry, high taxes and utility costs and an infrastructure weakened by neglect.

Tony Young asked: "Are you going to be able to pay these bills without straining and draining the citizens of Cairo?"

At that point, Councilwoman Carolyn Ponting warned that continuing as before will not be possible.

"There is going to have to be a time, and it is coming soon, where there are going to have to be major, major cuts. We are going to have to have industry. We are going to have to have a better tax base for a budget like this," she said.

After the meeting, Farris called Thurston's proposal to reduce spending by cutting elected officials' pay "grandstanding."

He said, "I have never known Mr. Thurston to have an original idea."

In reply, Thurston said Farris showed he lacks ability by proposing a budget so far out of balance.

In November, Thurston walked out of a council meeting after proposing that Farris forgo his $1,000 a month salary and that council members do the same with their $600 a month pay. Council members and Farris also receive health insurance benefits, and the city pays into a fund for their retirement.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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