Sacramento budget deficit could bring job cuts, impact public safety
KCRA 3
[{'start': '1.433', 'end': '5.371', 'text': "EMERGENCIES.  EMERGENCY SERVICES IS A REALLY  BIG DEAL.  THEY SHOULD KEEP THE PROGRAMS  THAT SERVE THE MOST UNDERSERVED  COMMUNITIES.  THOSE ARE THE PRIORITIES ON SOME  OF SACRAMENTO RESIDENTS MINDS AS  THE CITY FACES A DEADLINE TO  MAKE TOUGH CUTS TO ITS BUDGET.  WE'VE BEEN BRACING FOR SOME BAD  NEWS FOR A WHILE NOW.  THIS MONTH, THE CITY COUNCIL  WILL BEGIN TO DISCUSS A PROPOSED  BUDGET TO CLOSE A MORE THAN $62  MILLION GAP FOR THE NEXT FISCAL  YEAR.  LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SWEEPING  VACANCIES AND DOING WHAT WE CAN  TO TRY AND MITIGATE THE IMPACTS  ON THE PUBLIC.  THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES  ELIMINATING 70 VACANT POSITIONS  AND A DOZEN FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.  AMONG THOSE IMPACTED ARE THE  CITY'S FIRE AND POLICE  DEPARTMENTS.  IT'S DEFINITELY CONCERNING  BUDGET FOR US, AND THAT'S WHY WE  HAD TO GET CREATIVE.  WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO  OFFSET ALL THESE DEFICITS.  FIRE CAPTAIN JUSTIN SYLVIA SAYS  THREE POSITIONS WILL BE  ELIMINATED, INCLUDING A CAPTAIN  ANDD A FIREFIGHTER.  WE ASKED THE DEPARTMENT IF THOSE  CUTS WOULD IMPACT THEIR  OPERATIONS.  WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE OUR  OPERATIONS WHATSOEVER.  SO THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSED THESE  TWO POSITIONS IN OUR DOOR  PROGRAM VERSUS CUTTING BOOTS ON  THE GROUND.  PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONDING TO  THE CALLS.  MEANWHILE, 24 VACANT POSITIONS  WITHIN THE SACRAMENTO POLICE  DEPARTMENT COULD ALSO BE  REMOVED.  IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ALSO THAT  SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE  THAT ARE VACANT, WE USE THAT AS  OVERTIME TO PAY OFFICERS.  SO THAT WAY WE CAN PROVIDE THE  SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR  COMMUNITY.  COULD THERE BE AN IMPACT ON  PUBLIC SAFETY?  YOU KNOW, IT'S AGAIN, IT'S  REALLY TOO EARLY TO TELL HOW  THAT IMPACT IS.  THE ONE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT  THE SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT  IS WE'RE WE ARE RESILIENT, AND  WE WILL FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE  THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE.  OFFICER ANTHONY GAMBLE SAYS HOW  THEY RESPOND TO CRIME COULD ALSO  BE IMPACTED.  SOME OF THOSE TOOLS AND, YOU  KNOW, TIPS THAT WE USE TO  ADDRESS CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY.  WELL, THAT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW,  FINANCIAL, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES.  IN THE MEANTIME, ALL THEY CAN  HOPE IS PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS  TOP OF MIND FOR CITY LEADERS  WHEN IT'S TIME TO MAKE A  DECISION.  WE NEED TO BE WELL EQUIPPED.  OUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS, OUR  LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS NEED  THAT KIND OF SUPPORT.  SOMETIMES THESE THESE KINDS OF  DECISIONS ARE NECESSARY TO, YOU  KNOW, DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO  PROVIDE FOR THE FISCAL  RESPONSIBILITY AND THE BUDGET.  BALANCING.  NOW, THE NEXT MEETING FOR THE  CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW THIS  PROPOSED BUDGET IS ON MAY 13TH.  AFTER THAT, THEY'RE SET TO VOTE  IN JUNE, AND THEIR DECISION WILL  TAKE EFFECT IN JULY.  LIVE IN SACRAMENTO."}]