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Budget To Grow Despite Revenue Reduction, Iorio Says

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 7, 2008

TAMPA - The city budget will grow by almost 2 percent next year, Mayor Pam Iorio said today, and that is despite property tax reductions that have reduced revenue by a total of $28 million the past two years.

Iorio presented an $836 million budget for the next fiscal year to the Tampa City Council today. She promised recent city layoffs will not reduce services residents expect, from police and fire protection to the functioning of sewer and drainage systems.

"I don't think these council chambers will be filled with citizens concerned about cuts to services they depend on," the mayor said.

Tampa has been able to maintain services with fewer people by strategically shrinking city government, she said.

"That's significant because nearly every department has been affected in some way, but they did it very carefully," Iorio said.

The mayor took the unusual step of using the budget message to lobby the council to hold the line on pay increases for firefighters. Contract negotiations between the administration and firefighters union broke down, and the matter went to a special magistrate.

The magistrate recommended the firefighters accept the city's offer of a 3 percent cost-of-living raise and a 3.5 percent merit increase. Firefighters want a 5 percent cost-of-living raise and a 5 percent merit increase. The council will make the final decision, probably at its meeting Sept. 4.

"This is just not affordable," Iorio told the council.

The mayor's budget includes millions in construction, including $150 million in improvements to the water system, $40 million in drainage improvements and $20 million for a wastewater line on 12th Street.

The mayor also proposes spending $7.5 million on improvements to neighborhoods, including street resurfacing, traffic calming, signs and sidewalks. The neighborhood expenditure is a 15.5 percent increase on similar spending in the current budget.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com

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