Cheney Budget Cuts May Zap Mosquito-Control Efforts

Mosquito control could bite the dust in budget cuts facing the city of Cheney.

Every spring, crews drive the streets spraying a chemical that supposedly kills mosquitoes. It costs about $5,000.

For years, residents have debated the effectiveness and safety of the spraying.

“Talk about a controversial issue. There’s a dandy right there,” said City Administrator Jim Reinbold.

A budget crisis this fall could end the debate once and for all.

Reinbold is recommending mosquito control be eliminated as one of many budget cuts for 1998.

A financial crisis has descended on City Hall after the state auditor earlier this year declared that Cheney was collecting too much tax from its city-owned electrical system.

The auditor told the city to roll back the electrical tax from 12 percent to 6 percent, at a loss of about $300,000 in revenue.

The City Council initially sought a combination of budget cuts and tax increases on water, sewer and garbage bills to make up the difference. But opposition to the tax increases is forcing the council to consider a full $300,000 in cuts.

Reinbold wants to avoid layoffs, so he has come up with a series of cuts to nibble at existing public services.

For example, the street department would stop sealing cracks in the pavement, a routine maintenance item that keeps the cracks from turning into potholes.

Sidewalk repair would be eliminated. The widening of Mullinix Road would be postponed at least one year.

Also, travel budgets are being trimmed, which will eliminate most of the out-of-town training programs for employees.

Maintenance throughout city government would be stopped.

“If something breaks, it stays broken,” Reinbold said.

Here are some of the other proposed cuts:

The fire department’s ladder truck would be taken out of service.

Reserve accounts for future equipment purchases would not be funded.

A separate equipment rental fund to pay for future vehicle purchases would not be funded.

The use of students as fire department residents, or interns, would be discontinued.

Overtime would not be allowed in most departments.

Watering of city parks would be reduced.

A contract with a labor consultant would be terminated.

Spending on buildings or other improvements to city facilities would be suspended.

The City Council meets next Tuesday and will hear from Reinbold on his suggested cuts. A decision could be postponed until January when Mayor-elect Amy Jo Sooy takes office.

She has said she believes city departments could be more efficient in the delivery of city services.

The council is expected to receive a petition seeking a public vote on increases in water, sewer and garbage tax rates.

The council has a choice of repealing those tax increases in light of the referendum or putting the measure on the ballot in March, Reinbold said.

A referendum election would cost about $5,000.

, DataTimes