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Groveport's income tax revenues drop again
(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - April 14, 2009)
The village of Groveport could face more budget cuts in the upcoming months as its income tax revenues continue to decline due to the poor national economy.
At Groveport Village Council's April 13 meeting, Finance Director Ken Salak stated income tax revenues for March 2009 were down 40 percent compared to March 2008. Income tax revenue collections this March were $766,762 compared last March's $1.27 million.
For the year, the village's income tax revenue is down $1.073 million, or 27.1 percent, from this time in 2008.
In the face of the economic downturn, council unanimously voted to trim nearly $1.7 million from the 2009 budget on April 13. But more cuts could come this year.
"We'll have to look closely at our next month's income tax revenues," said Salak. "If we have a similar loss we may have to come with more cuts to appropriations."
The cuts
•Community Affairs reduced hours for its part time staff; cut advertising; eliminated floor/window cleaning; ended village sponsored programming at KidSpace on Wirt Road; ended summer movies; cut back Nature Center programming; eliminated the "Village Reporter" newsletter; ended artist receptions; cut costs for Visit with Santa; and discontinued candy distribution and the Halloween block party. The senior transportation program also took a hit including reduced senior transportation outings and no more Sunday senior transportation.
•Parks and Recreation cut the marshmallow drop, the halloween celebration, youth 3-on-3 basketball, youth and adult dodgeball tournament, youth and adult kickball tournament, adult flag football, late night swims, dive-in movie, Guard Start, and under water Easter egg hunt. Also, replacement/new fitness equipment will not be purchased.
•Operating hours at recreation facilities will be decreased. The recreation center will close on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. During the 14 weeks of summer, the recreation center will close at 8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. The outdoor aquatic center will close at 7 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. and during the post season schedule will only be open on weekends.
•The arts festival is set to take place Memorial Day weekend and will receive around $4,500 from the village (down from an original appropriation of $15,000).
•The Fourth of July celebration budget was cut from $53,850 to $23,566 - the parade, which could be held later in the afternoon, and fireworks will be kept, but suggestions were made to abolish the downtown festival in favor of activities such as softball, volleyball, and picnics at Groveport Park.
•Apple Butter Day is still set for Oct. 10 with a pared down budget of $10,307.
•Cops and Kids Day has been cancelled.
•Still in the budget are the $25,000 appropriation for Motts Military Museum, part of a 10 year annual contribution passed as an ordinance a couple of years ago; and $20,000 for the civic organization Go Groveport.
Here is a breakdown of budget reductions by some departments:
•police from $2.3 million to $2.1 million;
•cemetery from $45,000 to $11.664;
•community affairs from $492,361 to $361,068;
•senior center from $90,399 to $77,713;
•senior transportation from $279,548 to $237,610;
•mayor's department from $145,416 to $128,716;
•legislation from $184,725 to $162,560;
•administration from $911,017 to $720,986;
•finance from $1.9 million to $1.8 million;
•economic development from $224,856 to $182,767;
•public service from $164,500 to $137,734;
•law department from $183,800 to $166,292;
•recreation center from $384,692 to $160,352;
•parks from $640,076 to $503,655;
•aquatic from $379,571 to $353,899;
•golf from $393,915 to $349,557;
•golf maintenance from $633,156 to $546,745;
•recreation operations from $780,092 to $689,144;
•recreation athletics from $129,887 to $81,305;
•indoor aquatic from $272,842 to $260,758; and
•street maintenance and repair from $925,690 to $815,515.
A sampling of other cuts and the estimated savings include:
•Elimination of the purchase of three police cruisers, saving $126,000;
•Elimination of the summer concert series in Heritage Park, saving $9,920;
•Crooked Alley KidSpace cut from $14,900 to $1,000;
•Heritage Nature Center (log house) cut from $12,000 to $2,000;
•Eliminate Trees and Decoration Committee funding, saving $26,000;
•Only one instead of two new senior transportation vans would be purchased dropping the cost from $76,000 to $38,000;
•In the Public Works Department budget, a $16,000 pick up truck, $13,000 in streetlight poles, and a $25,000 portable generator were cut;
•In the Parks and Recreation budget, $25,000 in ball diamond improvements, $10,700 in parking lot upgrades, $200,000 for tennis courts, $5,500 for tiered seating by the Heritage Park stage, and $9,000 for a new riding mower were cut;
•A $5,000 work cart for the Golf Department will not be purchased; and
•$60,000 for curb and gutter work and $15,000 for new sidewalks were cut, however sidewalk repairs will still be made.
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