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Cuts coming to Omaha's 2009 budget

Photo courtesy City of Omaha

By Katie Knapp

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kios/local-kios-799041.mp3

Omaha, NE – Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey is asking all city departments to cut their budgets.

Fahey says the city's $280 million general fund budget needs to be cut by two percent. That amounts to four to six million dollars in cuts. He says all options are on the table and all departments, including the Police and Fire Departments, are being asked to make cuts.

The Mayor says sales tax and building permit revenues are down this year and are projected to be flat in 2009. The city has already limited hiring and Fahey says making cuts now could prevent them later.

Department heads have two weeks to find areas to cut from their budgets.