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City Council Study Session — 05/17/04 DRAFT Minutes - Page 19 City Manager Beets summarized Council direction related to "untouchables," as nothing other than items affecting public health and/or safety. Councilmember concurred. Mayor Klausing noted that he didn't want to be presented with "paper savings," accomplished through shifting items, but was seeking actual proposed reductions. City Manager Beets advised that as a consequence of tonight's discussion and directives, at a staff level, a substantive process of evaluating programs and priorities would be evaluated, some of which may prove controversial. Councilmember Schroeder questioned whether his and Councilmember Maschka's requests would require staff to do "double-duty" and prove more labor intensive in providing the requested budget formats and information, and whether staff needed more consensus from Councilmembers. Mayor Klausing opined that while both were using different approaches, they were not mutually exclusive or incompatible. Further discussion ensued related to format options. Finance Director Miller noted that staff's normal budget process, from a staff perspective, made assumptions that the City Council wanted to maintain service levels and programs at their current levels, so staff didn't add additional items, but attempted to maintain service levels, in their best judgment. Mr. Miller sought clarification if the City Council was comfortable with that from a policy-guidance level with an inflationary increase of the levy to address structural deficits through tax levy/spending cuts, balance 50/50. Finance Director Miller acknowledged that further true reforms or sustained cuts would be hard without impacting service levels; noting that while some efficiencies can be realized, current staffing levels were operating at maximum levels overall. Councilmember Ihlan reiterated her concern as to whether a