City of Alameda Online Budget Challenge PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Alameda Announces Series of Targeted Budget Cuts and Tax Increases to Balance 2013-14 Budget

Faced with an impending budget deficit of $4.4 million caused by a combination of rising expenditures flat revenues, the City of Alameda has implemented a series of cuts to programs funded by the General fund, as well as minimal increases in certain taxes, to assure a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2012-13. Before a detailed description of these actions is given, the City of Alameda would like to make clear for all citizens that the proscribed measures are temporary in nature, with the objective being to guide the city through a prolonged recession while assuring financial solvency. With that said, every major department which draws funding from the city's General Fund will absorb budget cuts that are similar to those enacted last year, so that organizational challenges can be anticipated and mitigated effectively.

The following departments will have their budgets reduced during the upcoming Fiscal Year 2012-13:

Citizens are understandably concerned about the reductions in funding for the Police and Fire departments, and their grievances have been heard, however, multiple studies…