YAKIMA, Wash.-- The Yakima City Council unanimously approved its 2013 budget Tuesday night.
Next year's plan highlights some big changes for the city. The over $205-million city budget will fund three new police officers around town. Two, will round out a new five member gang unit. And the third, joining an inter-agency violent offender task force. All of them, working to get criminals off the streets.
Along with new officers, the budget will fund two new fire inspectors.
But it's not just man power that the city is putting money back into. They're also setting aside $5-million for street improvements, and another $54-million for other capital projects.
All of these decisions, City Manager Tony O'Rourke says were based off of public input.
"It's a reflection of what the public wants, based upon the input they provided us in that citizen survey. And the council picked up the gauntlet and reflected that in a strategic plan, and we in turn reflected it in the budget," said O'Rourke."
These additions come at a cost though. O'Rourke says he was hoping for some wage and benefit concessions from various employee unions that won't happen this year.
So instead, the city will not hire people to fill four vacant positions. Jobs like a municipal court clerk and street maintenance specialist. Positions that, under different financial circumstances, would be filled.
