How To Plug Budget Hole, Evanston City Council Considers

EVANSTON, IL — City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz will present a recommendation on a series of measures intended to close an expected $4.3 million budget shortfall at Monday's City Council meeting. In a memo to council members, Bobkiewicz and Assistant City Manager Marty Lyons recommended implementing a hiring freeze on city workers until the end of the year and a six-month delay in implementing a raise for public employees.

It also suggests saving reducing fund transfers for the year, cutting non-personnel costs by 1.5 percent from all city departments, increasing parking ticket penalties and decreasing the number of unpaid tickets required to put a "boot" on vehicles. Other changes include requiring the approval of the city manager for all training, travel, furniture and equipment expenses.

Bobkiewicz's office has blamed the shortfall on a number of sources of projected revenue that fell short this year. Building permits were expected to bring in $9.2 million. In reality, they were close to $2.6 lower than projections, which accounts for the bulk of the city's shortfall. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Evanston — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Additionally, income tax revenue was $790,000 lower than projected, sales tax fell below projections by $780,000 and utility tax revenue was down because of a warmer winter, although weather-related shortfalls were made up for by lower snow-related expenses.

Evanston city staff are proposing several changes to the budget process for next year, according to a memo to be presented to the city council. Staff want to review the management structure of all departments, including in-depth reviews of the city manager's office, administrative services and the law department.

Staff also recommended considering a two-year budget through the end of 2019 and an increase in the number of opportunities for citizen participation in the budgetary process.

Read the complete memo detailing the Evanston budget deficit and proposed cuts to expenses and increases to revenue:

UPDATE: The Administration and Public Works Committee of the Evanston City Council Monday night rejected an increase to fines for parking violations and a reduction in the number of unpaid tickets that would trigger a "boot" being placed on a vehicle. Bobkiewicz said he would return at the next council meeting Aug. 14 with possible new ideas about an amnesty program that could help bring in millions of dollars in unpaid fines and other potential revenue sources including a new hotel or rideshare tax.

Top photo: Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz | via Jonah Meadows