Huntington's Budget

The city of Huntington, W.Va. is undergoing some changes this year. The projected budget for 2010 has increased expenditures as well as revenue. However, Mayor Kim Wolfe predicts a possible 10 percent decrease in revenues, as he stated in his State of the City address Feb. 13, 2010.

The budget for 2009 listed expenditures as $38,919,497, while the 2010 budget estimates expenditures at $42,135,417, a difference of $3,215,920.

The revenue differences were similar, with 2009 showing $39,990,304 and the 2010 estimates revenues at $42,135,417,with a difference of $2,145,113.

The biggest increase in expenses was in the insurance programs, the police department, the fire department and streets. The insurance programs increased by $584,028. The police and fire departments increased more than $681,000 and $306,000, respectively. The streets department increased by more than $662,000.

The biggest revenue increase was in in the Business & Occupation tax, with an increase of more than $467,000 and in the city service fee, with an increase of $1,350,000.

The city service fee, also known as the user fee, was increased in April 2009 up to $3 per indiviudual working inside the Huntington city limits. This fee change comprised nearly 63 percent of the budget increase.

Huntington's financial picture is not a pretty one at this point, and as Wolfe pointed out in the State of the City address, it could result in a reduction of office staff in the police department, forcing officers to cover that themselves. Other city workers will be affected as well, with layoffs of employees and open positions because of retirement left open.