SHARON Final budget vote isn't likely yet

Council members were asked to come up with some suggestions to revise the spending plan.
SHARON, Pa. -- City Council President Fred Hoffman said council probably won't take a final vote Thursday on a proposed $8 million general fund budget for 2003.
Council passed the first of two required readings of the budget ordinance Nov. 21 but warned at the time that it couldn't support the plan's 5.5-mill property tax increases coupled with six employee layoffs and an 11 percent increase in the sewer user's fee as proposed by Mayor David O. Ryan.
City council has traditionally held its own budget hearings on the mayor's spending plan but didn't do so this year.
Hoffman said the mayor could hold hearings if he chose to do so.
Ryan held one hearing but no one came and the budget remains unchanged, he said.
The adoption schedule called for council to take a final vote at its regular meeting Thursday, but Hoffman said that is unlikely.
Input sought
He said he has asked council members to come up with their individual suggestions to change the budget for discussion at Thursday's meeting.
That information will be presented to the mayor and finance director and council will then schedule a special meeting for Dec. 23 for a final budget vote, Hoffman said.
That will give the mayor and finance director a couple of days to revise the budget according to council's wishes, he said.
Ryan has proposed the furlough of two police officers, two firefighters and two street department workers.
Hoffman said council members don't want any fire or police layoffs and some don't want any street department cutback, either.
Ryan has said the budget, as proposed, is what he needs to run the city next year and has warned that he will veto a revised budget ordinance if he doesn't believe it will allow the city to function.