Budget Chair Sees Red Flags In City Finance Report

Kansas City, MO – Finance and Audit chair Deb Herman worked with colleague Jan Marcason to produce a budget for next year that was more in keeping with projected revenues. But after hearing yesterday's report on fiscal year 2007, she doesn't think they went far enough.

"I still need to do some more studying of it," she said, "but so far there's red lights flashing all over it."

Red lights like a 50% decrease in revenues from tourism, a downhill trend in e-tax revenues coming out $400,000 before projections, over $27 million in new expenses, and no indication of savings from cuts already made. Herman says it's time for more belt-tightening at City Hall and the sooner the better.