Council committee to hear proposed budget cuts

In the entry that follows this one, I talk about a budget recommendation City Manager Mary Suhm will preview to tomorrow's meeting of the Dallas City Council's Quality of Life & Government Services Committee that is way overdue. However, there are plenty of others that may be necessary (I'm not going to debate that fact here), but I can guarantee many members of the Council won't want to hear.

The way I interpret this presentation is this: If an item is "above the line," it is funded, but perhaps at a reduced level. If it is "below the line with an asterisk," it is not funded unless additional monies are found and even then it will probably be funded at a reduced level. If it is "below the line without an asterisk," that service is eliminated.

Now, if that interpretation is correct, that means:

• At best, only a third of the city's 21 swimming pools and the Bahama Beach Aquatic Park will operate in 2010 and only then if an additional $2.35 million in revenues can be found. If not, they will all be closed next summer.
• Terminating the contract under which the city maintains the sub-surface pedestrian way at Thanksgiving Square.
• Eliminating 19 of the positions required to operate and maintain the proposed 10-acre African Savannah Exhibit at the Dallas Zoo, the place where Jenny and at least five other elephants (as well as 10 giraffes, 10 ostriches, seven lions and other species) were supposed to roam. This could revive the entire "where should Jenny spend her final days" debate.
• The operating hours at 36 recreational centers will be reduced from 55 to 40 hours a week and at six others from 40 to 30 hours a week.
• Branch libraries would be closed on Sundays and 23 branch libraries would be closed one additional weekday.
• The operating hours at the Central Library will be reduced from 68 to 60 hours per week.
• Eliminating the $38,672 contract with the Senior Citizens of Greater Dallas which provides career services to us old folks.
• The elimination of visitor and media parking spaces in the underground Dallas City Hall parking garage.
• The city calendar and "Dallas Delivers" appears to be history as is the Loving My Community program that provided matching grants to neighborhood and community groups that assisted the city in collaborating on community projects.
• City employees will no longer receive DART bus passes.