Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple is calling on the City Council to dip into its lunch and travel funds to help soften the blow on city workers as the budget faces a multi-million-dollar shortfall caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
But some of Whipple’s fellow council members are upset that he’s gone public with his ideas before the council has a meeting Tuesday to discuss the city’s entire budget. The city is projected to lose around $8 million of its $624.5 million budget, based on early staff estimates.
Whipple’s proposal came in response to City Manager Robert Layton’s decision last week to furlough 290 city employees for 30 days as Wichita grapples with the fallout from coronavirus disease COVID-19.
(Read more: Local News |)
