City Council Buying Time on Budget

By Li Terrell
The South Lake Tahoe City Council will meet today at 4pm to discuss several agenda items, most importantly, to pass an interim budget for the next 30 days while they continue to haggle with remedies for the city’s $5.2 million shortfall.
City Council has been asking citizens for other options since its intense and, at times, explosive Sept. 15 meeting, in which the City Manager and Finance Director presented the budget for FY 2011-12. Their proposal included cutting nearly two dozen jobs to close the gap. With more than 200 citizens, retirees, and employees present, the council was forced to postpone the vote, supposedly until today’s meeting.

Instead, in an email from the city clerk dated Friday, Sept. 23 at 11:47 am, the city gave notice of the change.
“Staff needs more time to fully review and evaluate these items and additional suggestions and information regarding Redevelopment Agency options, which could have a profound effect on the budget. An Interim Budget Appropriation for 31-days will be adopted at the 4pm Special Meeting on September 27th.”
The tentative date for the passing of the full budget is slated for Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.