Mayor seeking funds to blunt council cuts

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Aug 23, 2008 by Mike Hall

By Mike Hall

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Mayor Bill Bunten still hopes to cushion the blow from some of the Topeka City Council's cost-cutting measures without using his veto powers.

He said Friday he is working with various individuals, both inside and outside of city government, to find money for the programs whose funding was reduced by the city council.

Among the reductions approved by the council Tuesday night in approving a 2009 city budget were:

- Elimination of the annual $300,000 subsidy for the Topeka Performing Arts Center.

- A 20 percent reduction in the annual $100,000 contribution to Topeka Cemetery.

- Elimination of step increases and cost of living raises for city employees.

- Reductions of up to 20 percent in grants to youth and social service organizations.

- Fifty percent reductions in grants to programs serving the elderly.

"I don't at this time plan to veto it (the budget)," Bunten said Friday.

But he still wouldn't rule out the possibility. He has said that if he is going to veto the budget, he should do so before 5 p.m. Monday. That is the day taxing entities are asked to submit budgets for certification by the county clerk. However, that "deadline" is more like a suggestion.

Shawnee County Clerk Cynthia Beck said Kansas law states taxing entities "shall" submit their budgets to her office by the end of business on Aug. 25.

However, she said she was told years ago that " 'shall' means 'may' when there is no penalty involved."

And state law makes no provision for a penalty for missing the deadline.

A common situation is a taxing entity that is unable to meet to adopt a budget until the 25th because of vacations or other reasons preventing a quorum of the body from gathering sooner, she said.

Bunten said one of the issues he cares most deeply about -- salary increases for city employees -- appears to be the least likely to be corrected.

Bunten said he had talked with one member of the Topeka Cemetery board who believes the organization could operate next year with the $80,000 allocated by the council, plus some other community support.

"I don't believe the board will resign and turn it over to the city," the mayor said.

Board members have indicated for the past two years that if the city's level of support fell below $100,000 a year, the board would need to dissolve and turn the cemetery over to the city for operation and maintenance. And that, cemetery officials have said, would cost the city more than $100,000 a year.

Bunten said that with the reduced subsidy from the city, the cemetery might not be as well cared for next year as in the past.

And Bunten said his understanding of the ramifications of a veto were confirmed in a meeting with interim city attorney Braxton Copley on Thursday.

He said that if he vetoed the budget, and the city council failed to override, the 2008 budget would be used again as the 2009 budget.

That would cause a lot of problems, such as severely limiting the city's ability to buy sufficient vehicle fuel and adequately heat and cool its buildings.

The amount of money provided in the 2008 budget wouldn't pay for as many gallons of gasoline in 2009 as it did this year, he said.

Mike Hall can be reached

at (785) 295-1209

or mike.hall@cjonline.com.