On the agenda: Salem City Council holds public hearing on budget

Whitney Woodworth, Salem Statesman Journal
·2 min read
A common space in the navigation center has tables and computers for residents to use.
A common space in the navigation center has tables and computers for residents to use.

A public hearing on the proposed city budget, airport funding and work to acquire property for critically needed improvements on Center Street are on a packed agenda for Monday's Salem City Council and Urban Renewal Agency meetings.

Facing an $11 million budget shortfall, the city needs to adopt a budget for Fiscal Year 2024 before July 1.

The city's budget committee voted to send the budget to council for approval in May. Now, council will hold a public hearing on the budget.

There has been talk of increasing the operation fee the city charges residents and adding a payroll tax, paid by people working in Salem, to address the budget deficit. But any action on those would need to come through separate council action.

If the shortfall is not addressed, the city would have to shut down recently-opened homelessness services like the navigation center and micro shelters. Police, fire and other city staffing could also face cuts.

Peter Frajola and Erin Furbeeat of the Oregon Symphony perform at Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater during Make Music Day in Salem on June 2022.
Peter Frajola and Erin Furbeeat of the Oregon Symphony perform at Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater during Make Music Day in Salem on June 2022.

Other agenda items include:

  • A vote on whether to authorize the reallocation of $1.2 million from the Fairview Urban Renewal Area budget for terminal improvements at the Salem Airport.

  • A vote on whether to reallocate $250,000 in Future Project funds from the Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area budget for a Front Street multi-modal study and grocery store analysis.

  • A public hearing on the FY 2024 Salem Urban Renewal Agency Budget.

  • A public hearing on state revenue sharing funds from liquor revenues.

  • Voting on whether to acquire right-of-way easements for the Center Street NE project from Lancaster Drive to 45th Place NE.

  • Voting on whether to adopt the proposed FY 2024 fee schedule.

  • A proclamation of the Mayor's Monarch Pledge to restore the habitat for monarch butterflies.

  • A proclamation declaring June 21 "Make Music Day" in honor of the seventh annual Make Music Day celebration.

How to participate in the Salem City Council

The meeting is at 6 p.m. It will be held in person at the City Council Chambers at the Salem Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. SE and also can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish.

Those wishing to comment in person can sign up on the rosters at the chamber entrance before the start of the meeting.

Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or preregister between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem City Council to discuss city budget, airport funding