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36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 �7 48 49 50 S1 52 53 54 55 56 57 5$ 59 60 6� 62 b3 64 Ti�e fo�lowing ta�ale identi�'ies sarne, bui not a11, of the budget reduciions thai have been made in the past 5 years. As the table indica�es, during the past 5 years, 4.5 FTE's have beer� eliminated, resu�ting in a permanent budget reduction of approximately $247,000. In a.dditian, the City �as t�iraugh at�ri�ion, downgradec� a n�zrr�%er nf e�isting positions resulting in a budget reductio� of approximately $ZD,000. Tk�e eliminatinn nf these positians coincided with the loss af state-aid, and the desire by the Counci� at the iime to minirnize property tax increases. Fee-based ��rograms and services suc� as the City's iltility Operations, Cornmuniiy Development function, and Reereation parpgrarnming, have generally main�ai�ed service levels thanics to sieaciy incxeases in �ser fees. ��npaet on Prngra�ns a�d �erviees Whilc the e�pIayee pasitions nated above renraain vacan�, the services that were pe�rfarmeci by these ernployees cantinued. At ihe iim.e fhese cu�s were �nade, it was ackz�ow�edged thaf citizens' e�peetations rennainec� �he sarne, so a11 programs remained. I� addition, a concerted e�'fort was rr�ade ta ez�sure that those programs that were highly visible; such as palice, fire, aand parks & recreation continued to recezve emphasis through �he budget process. This, however, came ai tl�e expense of the Ci�y's interna� suppori functinns sueh as T�forznation Technology, Finance and Accounting, and Admiz�istratian. As a result of t%e fi�azacial challenges and b�dget decisions made over the �ast 5 years, t�e City today is in a weaker ov�rall £'�nancial conditian, and absent new �unding, is �oarly-positioned to i�zprave sexvice levels for th� Cxty's core services. Tl�is dowzatu� is com�paunded by the fact that i�e City has been somewhat reliant an �he �se ai reserves to i'�znd current operatipns, and has no� adequately funded i�s asset replacement fundirzg z�echanisms. 65 �'roperly Tax ��pacts 66 VV��Ie tl�e City employs a nu�ber of funding saurces, only the property �ax provides a stable 67 source o£ revenues for �he City's poiice, �'ire, s�reets, ar7d par�s & rec�eation functions. Not 68 s�:rparisi�gly, this is why so rnuch scrutiny is �alaced upnn the tax �evy inerea�e each and e�very 69 �ear. As �oted. a�ove, while �otal s�ezading in the property ta��suppo�ted fi.�actians has increased 70 at below inflaiio� levels, the sartie cann�t �ae sa�d f4r the pro�er�y fax itseIf 2