Every April, Athens City Council tours the city’s roads, familiarizing itself with the areas demanding the most attention. However, because of an imminent budget reduction, council members and Andy Stone, director of engineering and public works, may not be able to follow through on their own recommendations.
Woodward Avenue, Fairview Avenue, Highland Avenue, Riverview Drive, Joneswood Drive, Terrace Drive and portions of West Union Street have been preselected by Stone to receive more immediate attention within the next two years. However, with the city facing a near $1 million reduction to its budget, these projects could be pushed back even further.
“We need to tighten up to keep us out of crash mode,” Mayor Paul Wiehl said. “And the first things we must consider cutting are capital improvements, which could be cuts in funding for the Street Department.”
Gov. John Kasich’s do-more-with-less mentality brought about this $974,320 cutback in Athens’ budget, because of Ohio’s projected $8 billion shortfall last year.
The Ohio legislature decided the only way to balance the budget without raising taxes was to make additional cuts to expenditures, said Ray Hazlett, deputy auditor of Athens.
These statewide cuts, which include the elimination of estate tax, development support payment and a 50 percent decrease in the local government fund, reduce funding for local governments – counties, townships and cities – as well as schools.
“The reduced funding for counties affects a number of human services in addition to roads and bridges,” Hazlett said.
The cutbacks mean that fewer government-funded jobs are available, particularly universities, school systems, government offices and county employment.
“We rely mostly on income tax,” Wiehl said. “Without workers, there is no one to pay the income tax.”
Athens’ general fund, which makes up about one-third of the city’s budget, is primarily funded by income taxes. The general fund pours money into city administration, police and fire departments, lands and buildings and the code office.
Roughly 80 percent of Athens’ workforce is employed by departments that are funded by the general fund. Wiehl said the city’s first cuts might come to the Street Department because it is partially funded by income taxes, which could be used to fortify the general fund.
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