Possible cuts, furloughs in Kansas City, Mo. due to pandemic

A Wednesday finance meeting held by the Kansas City, Mo. City Council addressed the budget shortage the city is experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

City council members discussed ideas to combat the shortage such as budget cuts and furloughs, including a possible reduction in recycling services.

Furloughs for city workers were also a key discussion point, reports KMBC 9 News.

In June, the city asked all departments to start identifying ways to reduce their budgets approximately 4.5% to ensure fiscal stability for the 2020-2021 budget year, reports KMBC. Wednesday’s meeting was the 60-day mark to reassess things.

An idea that was proposed at Wednesday’s meeting was a weeklong furlough for all city employees, excluding those making less than $15 per hour, who would likely be exempt from a furlough.

Other exemptions would be for the Kansas City Police Department and the health department.

City officials project a furlough like this could save the city $2.2 million, reports KMBC, and city officials are now working to draw up a furlough plan to have for the finance committee to review for approval in one week.

Officials said according to law, elected officials like City Council members and the mayor can’t take a pay cut in this situation.

During the meeting, an extension of an existing hiring freeze was approved, originally targeted for positions making $20 an hour or more in June, the city is now freezing hiring on all positions that make $15 an hour or more, reports KMBC. The city has said that this will save the city an estimated $4.8 million.