Topeka’s city government appears destined, because of the coronavirus pandemic, to bring in significantly less sales tax revenue this year than it planned, city media relations coordinator Molly Hadfield announced in a news release.
The city is responding by taking steps that include reducing salaries by 3% for management and executive staff, asking employees represented by labor unions to accept a 3% pay cut and implementing a freeze on hiring, except for jobs for which a critical or citywide operational need exists, Hadfield said in the release put out Friday.
“This type of loss in one budget year is substantial and cannot be made up with minor changes in the budget,” she said. “It will require major changes in expenses.”
Still, city manager Brent Trout said in the release that the city has engaged in sound financial management, which has given it the ability to manage decreases in revenue during this pandemic while still keeping essential services going.
(Read more: Local – The Topeka Capital-Journal)
