City of Glendale warns of drastic budget cuts

September 25, 2012

The City of Glendale is threatening up to 20 million dollars in cuts if voters approve a ballot initiative that would roll back a tax hike. 

Earlier this year, the Glendale City Council approved a point-7 percent sales tax increase to make up for an ongoing budget shortfall. But after some legal wrangling, foes of the five-year tax hike got an initiative on the November ballot that would reverse the increase and subject future increases to voter approval.

Tuesday afternoon, the City of Glendale will hold a budget workshop outlining what approving that initiative might mean.

Glendale Spokeswoman Jennifer Stein says the city's already trimmed $10 million from its budget, and since the city's budget must be balanced by law, further cuts could mean 249 layoffs, including: “...less police officers and firefighters protecting the city, closing of Glendale libraries, [and] elimination of all downtown city festivals, which attract hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people to the downtown area each year.”

You can watch the budget meeting on the City of Glendale’s website, at least for now…streaming video and the city TV station are also on the chopping block.

Updated 9-25-12 8:34 a.m.