RSSMabton mayor has yet to propose 2009 budget
Yakima Herald-Republic
E-mail
Print
Comments
More 'Local'
- Northwest wicked weather gallery day 3
- Serving Yakima Valley
- Report: Seattle P-I could be up for sale
- Claims against Yakima police chief mount
- Many Valley residents play wading game
- Highway closures cripple cross-state commerce
- Kittitas-trophe
Most Read
- This feature is under development and will be available soon.
MABTON -- Still no progress on a city budget.
Mayor Velva Herrera has yet to propose a preliminary 2009 budget to govern how and where this city of 1,000 will spend its money, how many police officers it will employ and what new equipment it will purchase.
Technically, cities in Washington may wait until Dec. 31 to pass a budget, but only after two weeks of public hearings and approval by council members.
"Ultimately, if you don't pass a budget, you can't spend any money," said Jack Maxwell, the soft-spoken city attorney who warned Herrera in a council work session Tuesday she was falling dangerously behind schedule.
He does not know the consequences the city may face.
"There's nothing clear as to what happens," Maxwell said.
State guidelines suggest city clerks file public notice of a preliminary budget by Nov. 3 with council deliberations to follow. Neighboring cities of Grandview, Sunnyside and Prosser have either passed their budgets or plan to do so next week.
Mabton has hardly started the discussion.
Herrera has been leading council members in discussions based on past budgets and wish lists from department heads.
"Or else we would have nothing," Councilman Angel Reyna said.
The 2008 general fund was $608,000, balanced on an increase in utility taxes from 6 percent to 25 percent and the laying off of a police officer and a public works employee.
But council members aren't sure how much money the city has now, and question the accuracy of the 2007 and 2008 expenditure and revenue reports.
Herrera has long insisted she and city staff are catching up with financial records and will present a budget proposal in time, possibly before Friday when council members gather at 5:30 p.m. for another budget workshop.
"I hope to," she said after Tuesday's meeting.
The city is considering contracting with an outside accountant to help.
* Ross Courtney can be reached at 930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.
- Advertisement