The spending freeze in Huntington government may help ease some of the city’s financial woes. According to a WOWK story from Jan. 11, the freeze will not affect new hiring and will not cut all spending. Now, purchases have to go through the mayor's office rather than just the department heads and the finance directors.
Mayor Kim Wolfe proposed the spending freeze, not a new initiative for the city, a few months earlier than usual to help ease the city’s budget problems. In an article from the Herald Dispatch dated Jan. 10, Brandi Jacobs-Jones, director of administration and finance, said last year’s freeze resulted in approximately $1 million in savings.
To fully understand the situation in the city, it is important to examine the facts and the situation. Huntington W.Va. according to the U.S. Census bureau has an approximate population of 49,000 and covers 15 square miles. The total revenue estimate for the current fiscal year 2010 is $41,064,610, and the previous 2009 revenue estimate was $38,758,863. In contrast, the expenditure estimates for fiscal years 2010 and 2009 were $42,135,417 and 39,990,304, respectively. Both years show a projected estimate loss of approximately $1 million.
According to the Huntington city budget Huntington’s two biggest tax revenue sources are the business and occupation tax with approximately $16 million and the municipal service fees with approximately $5 million. The biggest expenditures for the city are the police and fire departments, which cost the city approximately $10.5 million and $9.5 million, respectively. Combined, the fire and police department make up for almost 50 percent of the expenditures of the city’s budget.
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