Pullman council has budget hearing tonight

PULLMAN - The Pullman City Council will conduct a public hearing on its fiscal 2012 budget at 7:30 tonight at Pullman City Hall.

This is the final hearing on the $55.9 million total budget. The plan is scheduled to be adopted Dec. 6.

The budget includes $16.4 million in general fund expenditures, which are funded largely through property tax and sales tax revenues. A $700,000 shortfall between projected revenues and expenditures will be bridged with cash reserves, leaving the city with an estimated $580,000 in reserve by the end of fiscal 2012. That's less than 3 percent of the annual operating budget, or almost $1.8 million short of the goal of a 13 percent reserve.

Other items on tonight's agenda include a presentation from the Pullman School District regarding its vision for the future, a discussion about single-stream recycling, and a resolution setting the 2012 parks and recreation program and facility use fees.