BEVERLY — The City Council last night approved $708,000 in cuts to this year's budget, but the reductions will hardly be noticeable to the public, according to the city's finance director.
Councilors unanimously approved the cuts, which had been recommended by Mayor Bill Scanlon to make up for a reduction in the amount of state aid the city had expected this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
When Ward 4 Councilor Kevin Hobin asked if the public would notice the impact of the cuts in one department more than another, Finance Director John Dunn said, "Not at this point in the year. Each department still has a little wiggle room."
The largest reduction, $300,000, was made in the school budget and has already been approved by the School Committee. Superintendent James Hayes has said the schools will cut $142,000 in special education expenses and substitute teachers.
The schools will make up the other $158,000 by bringing in extra revenue, including $88,000 in rent from the Northshore Education Consortium, Hayes has said.
Ward 6 Councilor Judith Cronin said the cuts that "really hurt for me" were $20,000 in the Fire Department's maintenance budget and $10,000 in the Recreation Department's park budget.
Ward 2 Councilor Wesley Slate lamented the $13,000 in cuts to the Police Department, saying he didn't want to see the reduction stall the improvements made under police Chief Mark Ray.
"This is where it starts to hurt," he said.
Councilors were grateful the cuts did not include layoffs, but they also cautioned that next year's budget will be more difficult. The city could be facing a reduction in state aid of more than $2 million next year.
"These reductions may be modest, looking at numbers like that," Slate said.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or pleighton@salemnews.com.
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