Public submits 500 ideas on how to save money

With the deadline almost passed for public submissions, Mayor Brian Bigger said Thursday the city has received hundreds of money-saving ideas from Greater Sudburians.

The goal of Project $6M is to find $6 million in savings to make up for money taken from reserve funds this year to freeze property taxes. Bigger said they have received about 500 ideas for how to find that money, up from about 175 in late May. The deadline for submissions is Friday.

"The response has been very good,” Bigger said. “I believe the number of ideas that have been brought forward from the public and from staff, everybody in the community, has more than doubled what we heard at the previous council meeting.

“So staff are working throughout the summer here on those particular ideas. They'll also be, I believe in September, public consultation and more discussion amongst council when the detailed ideas are brought forward to council."

The public input meeting will be held Sept 16, with the final list of budget savings ideas approved no later than Oct. 1. The final report and implementation plan is due Nov. 2.

"In the next council meeting, there will be more of a discussion of the exact process that we're following and how staff are trying top determine the savings that might be found,” Bigger said. “But I'm still very confident that we will find the $6 million and take the pressure of increasing taxes next year."

A city task force assembled to find the $6 million had already found $2.5 million in potential savings, according to a June staff report to the finance committee.