Fostoria takes steps aimed at cutting budget shortfall

10/24/2001

FOSTORIA — The city has transferred funds and raised the $5 license plate fee to help deal with a projected budget deficit.

Five ordinances were passed at a special meeting Monday to help reduce the projected shortfall. Soaring health-care costs and a drop in income-tax collections have contributed to a projected shortfall of $200,000 for the rest of this year and an estimated deficit of $1.1 million next year.

The ordinances will help temporarily balance the budget for the rest of the year and avert layoffs. But Mayor John Davoli said they were stopgap measures. He said the city would have to find a way to balance next year's budget without transferring funds.

“I was disappointed with the way things went,'' Mr. Davoli said. “All we did was play a shell game, moving things around. You can only shuffle so long before you have to dance. We really didn't do anything to save any money.''