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Sun City Fire District officials promised to keep the 2009-10 budget expenses at least at the same level as last year and they were able to keep their promise.
The district’s board of directors accepted the 2009-10 budget May 19 during its regular monthly meeting and will consider it for final approval 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 23 at the district administrative building, 18602 N. 99th Ave., following a public hearing. The budget calls for $11,663,257 in expenditures, which is $350,989 less than the 2008-09 budget, a 9 percent decrease.
"It is nice to see promises made and promises kept," said Marv Worthen, Sun City Taxpayers Association president. "These are tough times and tough decisions had to be made. We commend you."
Presenting a budget reduction was not an easy task and took many hours of hard work and sacrifice for the district budget committee, board and personnel, according to Irvin Mitchell, district board chairman. District officials also got help from the firefighters. District firefighter and union representative Matt Lohr said membership agreed to forego their annual cost of living raise for 2009-10 and the proposal was met with virtually no opposition.
"It is a sign of the times," he said. "But when we approached the membership about it, no one threw it back at us."
He said firefighters believed it was something they owed district officials.
"You’ve been good to us and this is about giving back," Mr. Lohr said during the May 19 board meeting.
Edwin George, district board member, said the firefighters’ gesture is appreciated but rare.
"I have been involved in various fire organizations and it is rare for fire department unions to be cooperative with the agencies," he said. "I’ve never seen anything like this before."
The firefighters’ decision also helped district officials avoid layoffs and severe reductions in service, according to Tom Stroozas, board member and treasurer.
"Everyone seems to be happy," he said.
However, residents understand the budget reduction means the fire department will see some loss of service.
"But we know we have the personnel, equipment and training in place," Mr. Worthen said.
District officials were able to balance the budget and achieve the reduction despite anticipated lose in revenue. They anticipate a 9 percent decrease in property tax revenue and a 50 percent reduction in fire prevention revenue. Gone from the revenue projections is $25,000 from wildland fire revenues.
"The person who generated that revenue for us is not with us any longer and we have no idea what to expect, so it was eliminated," Mr. Mitchell said.
To counter the anticipated revenue shortfalls, district officials ended its lease agreement of a building in Youngtown used for training and as a fitness center, saving $32,000. They are also projecting significantly less expenditure for new equipment, slashing that line item by $204,310, and there is no election this year for a $12,000 savings. District planners trimmed the personnel costs by $256,849 through the firefighters’ agreement to forego the COLA and the retirement of Chief Jim Sebert and Assistant Chief Steve Morrow at the end of May and Battalion Chief Ron Gilbert in September.
"These are some of our longest-tenured employees," Mr. Mitchell said.
What effect the budget reduction will have for individual taxpayers is uncertain and fire district officials do not have a final tax rate from Maricopa County officials.
"The rate might go up a penny or two, but we expect it could be virtually the same as last year," Mr. Stroozas said.
However, Mr. Mitchell believes it would not be prudent to discuss even projected tax rates until the final figure is established. He said assessments presented in February were supposed to be final figures, but those continue to see changes as exemptions are applied.
"We have counted on one figure only to see it change at the last minute so many times we are not comfortable talking about tax rates just yet," he said.
