Wilsonville Spokesman Online

City schedules emergency budget meeting

New fees, levy may be discussed

• By: Patrick Johnson  
• Published: 11/30/2009 2:06:07 PM

The city of Wilsonville’s budget committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, to talk about how the state’s current financial crisis is affecting the city.

The committee will discuss the possibility of imposing new fees on Wilsonville residents for parks, police and road maintenance, and the potential impact of financial trouble on the city’s building departments.

The Wilsonville Spokesman outlines these issues in its Nov. 25 and Dec. 2 issues.

The economic downturn, it appears, has hit the city of Wilsonville. While budget reserves will delay any immediate problems, things aren’t so rosy for the five-year forecast.

“We could operate like we are today for the next five years without new revenue,” said Gary Wallis, finance director. “But then we would be out of reserves and have to start making some really hard choices.”

Before the situation becomes critical, elected officials and the budget committee must find some answers.
Most possible solutions, according to city manager Arlene Loble, include new fees, increases in sewer rates and perhaps even a levy referred to the voters.

City officials worry that expenditures are outpacing revenues.

“Assuming we stay on the same track, with increased expenditures and revenues at their current rate, in time, we find we have a gap, even with the existing level of services,” Loble said.

It doesn’t mean the city of out of money, she said, but how far should the city dip into its reserves to meet the budgetary crisis?

“When is it you need to cut back your services to meet your income and what are the consequences of that,” Loble said.

The budget committee meets in the city council chambers at Wilsonville City Hall.

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