NLV City Council OKs plan to trim budget

The North Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday approved a plan to cut about $14 million from the city's general fund and nearly $2 million from the utility fund for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Council members approved the action after hearing a midyear budget presentation where finance manager Phil Stoeckinger said that city revenues generated by growth-related projects and taxes were down by more than 20 percent in some cases.

The budget reductions were made possible through 3 percent reductions in individual departments and the instituion of a hiring freeze. The freeze will not effect positions within the city's department of public safety.

Stoeckinger said that should the economic downturn continue to worsen, layoffs could not be entirely ruled out.

The city's original budget of about $214 million for the year was approved last year.