WHEELING -
During the first work session Tuesday, Mayor Andy McKenzie raised concerns about the city's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed budget is balanced at $30,644,000 and was presented to council a week before the work session.
Mayor McKenzie questioned whether uncertainty in Washington could have a negative effect on the city's federal grants. Wheeling's CDBG funds are said to decrease another 8% this next fiscal year.
"Then also you throw in the curve ball with the current statements of Wheeling Island about the table games," The Mayor said Tuesday.
Wheeling Island Casino-Hotel-Racetrack announced this week it expects to lose $1 million this year on table games. Wheeling island is now considering removing table games from the casino.
According to City Manager Robert Herron, the city is expecting to see a $720,000 revenue from table games this year. The loss of table games at Wheeling Island would leave the city with a big hole in their budget, and would force Herron to eliminate hundreds of thousands of dollars from the budget.
The mayor said it's important the citizens know that the city is trying to be fiscally responsible.
"We've got a good budget, but there may need to be cuts moving forward because the money just simply may not be there," Mayor McKenzie said.
The budget also includes a $1 million stabilization fund; what the city calls a "rainy day fund."
This year there are no proposed tax or fee increases. The proposed budget also includes an increase in funding for health insurance and the police and fire department pensions.
The budget will be presented before council for adoption on March 19.
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