Cuts – in library hours, recreation programs, police positions and every other city department – are coming to Monterey.

The city needs to trim nearly $6 million from its budget, and on Thursday, March 12, City Manager Fred Meurer will announce a draft spending play for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

“There will be reductions in services in literally every department, some far more severe than others,” Meurer says. “There will be police officer positions recommended for elimination. I’m not recommending any fire positions be eliminated, but I am recommending the city cut some of our fire programs that cause us to pay overtime. Rec hours will be cut, library hours will be cut, public works will be recommended for reductions in service. Our museum operations will be cut way back; urban forestry will be cut.”

Meurer will present the draft budget to the City Council and the public at 7pm March 12 in the Council Chambers. At a March 19 meeting, city staff will also listen to community suggestions before Meurer makes a final 2009-10 budget recommendation to the council. While the initial spending proposal doesn’t include any tax increases, several residents have suggested upping the city’s sales tax, Meurer says.

Currently it’s 7.25 percent, and Monterey gets 1 percent of the tax, which brings in between $5 million and $7 million dollars. If Monterey increases the sales tax by 1 percent, city coffers would collect an additional $5 million to $7 million – “which is about the size of the cut we’re looking at right now,” Meurer says. But he’s quick to add that community members, not city staff, would have to spearhead that effort. “If the community wants to move forward with a sales tax increase, they can, but the staff is not recommending any tax increases.”