2008 Budget Reduction Plan (Archived)

Gary City Clerk Suzette Raggs this week presented her budget reduction plan, a plan that she said will keep her from having to implement the 20% pay cuts being proposed by Mayor Rudy Clay.

On Tuesday, August 5, 2008, Gary City Clerk Suzette Raggs and attorney met with Mayor Clay and other staff members regarding the mayor’s proposal for a 20% cut in employee salaries during the period of August 18, 2008 through December 31, 2008.

City Controller M. Celita Green made a presentation regarding the financial straits of the city and subsequent requests of the Clerk which included: a 20% cut of each employee salary for the five month period; an additional cut of $50,000 from the 2008 budget; and the close out of open purchase orders for 2006 and 2007. Raggs said that she and her attorney left the meeting committed to the position of seeking alternatives through the reduction of costs to satisfy the city’s requested 2008 salary cuts.

"While the city is undeniably faced with a fiscal crisis," Raggs said, "it is still incumbent upon each of us as elected officials to strategize responsibly in our efforts to address the financial issues facing our different offices and still be cognizant of how to least impact the quality of the services we provide as well as the morale of the employees".

Raggs said that she, her attorney, and accountant reviewed the budget intently, and analyzed budget documents provided by the controller which included her calculation of $83,915 for the clerk’s office share of the proposed 2008 salary cuts.

"There are difficult choices to be made while understanding the financial hardship placed on the city, its taxpayers, as well as the working men and women in our system who try to provide a means of quality living for their families," Raggs said. "Therefore, I have reached the conclusion of how I can make the appropriate reductions that can lessen some of that hardship through a devised Budget Reduction Plan."

Raggs explained that her Budget Reduction Plan would be comprised of her authorizing a cash reduction of $167,830 or 40% to be utilized from "Personal Services". She has already sent a memo to the controller further authorizing an immediate close out of purchase orders in the amount of $42,067.98 with the balances of the remaining purchase orders as specified to be closed out within the next 30 days. Raggs added, "In total, the reductions for 2008 of more than $209,897.98 will more than satisfy the administration’s request and still allow the Gary City Clerk’s Office to maintain the quality of services provided through employees continuing with a scheduled 40 hour work week without bearing the burden of a 20% individual payroll cut."

Story Postings or Excerpts:
Press Release on website - Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Gary Crusader - Volume #15, Saturday, August 16, 2008
The 411 - Friday, August 15, 2008
Post Tribune - Saturday, August 16, 2008