ELYRIA — Monday night City Council’s Finance Committee got a first look at the 2010 permanent budget, a working document that spells out how the city will use and spend tax dollars this year.

This year, city Auditor Ted Pileski, Safety Service Director Chris Eichenlaub and all city department heads worked for weeks on a proposed budget, and general fund spending would be $3.9 million lower than in 2009.

The $3.9 million reduction brings the city close to closing $4.3 million deficit.

“This is the first step in a long process,” said committee chairman and Councilman Vic Stewart, D-at large, speaking directly to the other eight Council members in the room. “Take this home. Look it over and be ready to talk about it in two weeks. At that time, the department heads will be here to answer any questions you may have.”

By law, City Council must approve the budget before March 31.

In the meantime, each will look over the 52-page document, which details nearly $97 million of spending, down more than $11 million from 2009.

Most of the attention will be on the $27 million general fund, made up largely of income tax revenue. The general fund is where city leaders have the most say on spending.

Money to pay for more police officers, firefighters or programs in the Parks and Recreation Department would come from the general fund. The rest of the city’s dollars are tied up in enterprise funds that have a specific purpose linked to their use.

The proposed budget outlines a number of major cuts to several departments.

The Police Department saw a general fund reduction of $594,533. Add that to the $253,212 less the department will also receive from its police levy fund and the total cut to that department totals more than $847,000. In 2009, the Police Department lost nearly all of its civilian staff to layoffs, and the department is fighting to keep police officers from being laid off this year.

The Fire Department, which lost 16 firefighters due to layoffs in 2009, saw its budget drop $1.461 million, the largest reduction of any department.

However, when the dollar amount spent on the department’s new ladder truck is factored in, the reduction is about $784,000.

The Parks and Recreation Department will also take a big hit in 2010.

That department’s budget is down $416,595, much of which is the result of cuts made in 2009.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

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