Mayor to Release Budget Wednesday

Mayor Jerry Sanders will issue the final budget proposal of his eight-year tenure on Wednesday, his office announced Monday.

In making the announcement on his Twitter account, spokesman Darren Pudgil said the fiscal-year 2013 budget proposal will be the "first truly-balanced one in a very long time."

The mayor said in February that he expected to end the current fiscal year on June 30 with a surplus of around $16 million. Some of the extra money was used to extend operating hours for libraries and recreation centers, while most of the balance will be applied to FY 2013.

The mayor's office also said the spending plan would be paperless. City officials have been looking for ways to reduce their use of paper to save money, and budget documents can be extremely voluminous.

The mayor is scheduled to formally introduce his plans to the City Council next Monday, and hold a public hearing on May 14. The council's Budget Committee is scheduled to begin reviewing the proposal on May 2.

-City News Service