Streets Need More Money - Go Figure!

The Argus Leader is reporting that the Street Department needs an infusion of money.  "City Officials are asking the Sioux Falls City Council for about $3 million more next year for snow removal and to accommodate higher fuel prices because money allotted for snow removal and street maintenance this year is running out." 


Well, maybe it's because the budget of this department has been cut in budget years 2011 and 2012 from previous budget years. The following information was taken from the budget books posted on the City's official website:

Budget	2009 Budget	2010 Budget	2011 Budget	2012 Budget
Personnel	$5,469,036	$5,567,389	$5,051,362	$5,171,012
Other Operating	$9,855,093	$10,194,207	$8,367,927	$9,029,659
Total Budget	$15,324,129	$15,761,596	$13,439,289	$14,200,671

It is interesting to note that the 2011 figures listed in the 2011 Budget Book do not align with the 2011 Budget figures posted in the 2012 Recommended Budget Book. The new 2011 Budget figures posted in the 2012 Recommended Budget Book show the Personnel Budget cost to be $4,418,350, and $7,385,187 for other operating with a total operating budget of $11,803,537 instead of the $13,439,289 originally listed in the 2011 Budget Book. Why those 2011 budget figures for the street department are different is anyone's guess.


The point to all this is that it is no wonder the Street Department needs more money. To cut the "other operating" budget costs when you know fuel costs and other maintenance type expenditures go up, not down, does not take a rocket scientist to figure out. That's not even taking into account the snow removal cost estimates.


If this is an example of how the mayor prepares an operating budget, then it begs the question how accurate the budget forecast for an event center is going to be.