Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo told City Council members that the city likely does not have the money to fund a number of initiatives that Council has stated it hopes to implement in the near future. Following through on its goals of hiring more police officers, setting up a community policing initiative, putting more money toward social service contracts and setting aside money for the Housing Trust Fund will cost roughly $20 million. And that’s despite the fact that the city is projected to fall about $2 million short of being able to fund its existing programs. Van Eenoo urged Council to offer guidance on which initiatives it would like to prioritize as staff crafts its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18.
Staff warns Council that certain initiatives will be tough to fund
