The Carbondale budget crisis is more than $200,000 worse than previously expected.

City Manager Kevin Baity relayed the bad news to the City Council on Tuesday. Baity said, at the Feb. 11 City Council meeting, the city’s deficit was an estimated $761,000. However, the number was estimated after only 60 percent of the budget was reviewed.

The budget deficit after a complete review is $977,000.

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Baity said his office already took steps to decrease expenditures, including a spending freeze. He said anything costing more than $250 must first be reviewed by the city manager’s office.

Acting Mayor Don Monty was blunt about the situation and said balancing the budget is more difficult than eliminating waste and inefficiency.

“Those of us sitting back here, who have worked through the city budget in recent years, know that you’re not going to find any significant money in the city budget you would classify as waste or inefficiency,” he said.

The council discussed several ways to curb the already bare budget, including reducing the number of police officers, fire fighters, code enforcement officers and street department workers.

Eliminating street sweeping was also considered, however the council agreed the last time the city adopted this option in 2008, it led to terrible consequences for the sewer system and general appearance of Carbondale.

“You (Baity) threw out street sweeping and, in the same breath almost, you pointed out that yes, we can do that, but we did it once before and it wasn’t a good idea,” Monty said. “But we could do the same bad idea again.”

The idea of cutting funding to all community agencies and organizations was discussed and would lead to a savings of $570,000. However, councilmembers were not receptive to a blanket cut in all programs, particularly Carbondale Tourism and Carbondale Main Street.

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Baity said even if the city raises the sales tax, hotel/motel tax, motor fuel tax, or increases fees to services, the city’s budget troubles will likely remain.

“Until the economy gets out of the soft spot area we are in and consumer confidence comes back, we forecast we will see flat lines with a slight increase at best,” he said.

A budget is due by the March 25 meeting before the April 1 deadline.

Despite the budget problems, the City Council was able to achieve funding for housing redevelopment. The council accepted a $168,000 grant from the Illinois Housing Redevelopment Authority for single occupancy homes. Monty said the grant should benefit at least four families.

Those interested should submit applications for the grant money to City Hall.

A budget adjustment for an Illinois State Historical Society Marker at the Public Safety Center, also passed by a unanimous vote. The marker is over three feet wide and two feet tall, and honors the previous location of Carbondale College and Southern Illinois College, the precursors to Southern Illinois University.

The memorial costs $2,300 and was raised through donations from the community.

The next City Council meeting is March 25 where the Council is expected to pass a budget for the upcoming year.

Seth Richardson can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter at @EgyptianRich or at 536-3311 ext. 268.