MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- On Wednesday WREG questioned Memphis Mayor Jim Stickland about his proposed budget he presented before the city council Tuesday afternoon.
The budget banks on an extra $9 million with 70 percent being funneled into public safety, with raises for police and firefighters. WREG sat down with the mayor today to ask him where all the money is coming from and where are the cuts?
If Memphis mayor Jim Strickland has his way next year men and women, on the police force and fire department, rushing to an emergency will have a raise, MATA will have more money and streets will be repaved.
"You have to balance. You have to live within means and we have to prioritize," said Strickland.
Here's a breakdown of how he's planning to pay for his priorities, $18.9 million will come from predicted growth revenue in sales, state and income tax. Another one million will come from Bass Pro is also coming from $1.9 million from Graceland. Three million dollars will also come from ambulance and auto registration. Finally, court fees and costs along with an MLGW pilot are estimated to bring in $4.6 million combined.
As far as the money going out, besides more money for cops and firefighters, $4.2 million will also go into the pension arc.
$2.5 million will go to MATA improvements and $4.6 million for other city investments like Sky cops. However cuts have to come.
$2.2 million of expenditure decreases in a category called various so WREG asked the mayor about that too.
"When I first took office we had over a million dollars in reductions in people. We eliminated 10-12 positions. Since then we've also tried to combine positions. I talked yesterday where we had two areas in HR we combined them and saved $300,000," he said.
Strickland believes combined it roughly adds to $2.2 million.
$6.4 million was also cut from post employee pensions.
"We had to cut that out over the last two years to move money to the pensions," he said.
Tough cuts Memphian John Purvis is OK with.
"If it's to the benefit to the police and fire department I think it's all in the name of public safety," said Purvis.
The council has until June to approve the new budget.