City Deals with $1 Million in State Budget Cuts

Finance Director Joseph Dubovec is recommending all Strongsville departments cut their budgets by 1 or 2 percent to compensate for a

Dubovec, speaking at a meeting of City Council's Finance Committee April 13, said Strongsville's revenue will go down $294,461 in the second half of 2011, when the state cuts take effect.

In 2012, the city will feel a $505,551 loss, with another $211,090 in the first half of 2013.

Dubovec said cutting 1 percent would save the city $295,000; cutting 2 percent would save $590,000.

The cuts will not be made yet. Officials indicated they may wait till May to get a better handle on revenue.

"May is the biggest month for income tax receipts," Dubovec said.

Strongsville, bracing for cuts in money from the state, already planned on $200,000 less in the local government fund this year.

Dubovec said general fund revenue is down about $500,000 from where it was at this time last year, but said the city has not yet received its inheritance taxes, which he estimates at $258,000.

Service Director Joe Walker said he does not believe gasoline costs will impact his budget this year because he anticipated rising prices.

But he said steel, lumber, asphalt and other building materials will skyrocket in price.

"There's already been a big jump in steel," Walker said. "We're going to see nothing but increases in the rest of our materials."