Council Tacks On $10 Million To City Budget

The Sacramento City Council is one step closer to a budget. On Tuesday the council voted to ask the City Manager's office to add nearly $10 million to the budget.

The money would pay for 18 parks employees, 18 new police department officers and counter employees and 21 firefighters to staff two ambulances and a fire truck. 

Some of the money will likely come from a voter-approved Measure U sales tax.

The additions to the budget were proposed by Councilman Jay Schenirer and passed by a 6-3 vote.

Council members Steve Hansen and Jeff Harris offered an alternative budget that would have removed five positions from under Mayor Kevin Johnson's control and used the money to pay for park rangers.

The alternative would have sent the City to negotiate ambulance staffing with Labor 522. The union wants to staff the ambulances with firefighters at a cost of $880,000. The City wants to staff the ambulances at a cost of $480,000.

Councilwoman Angelique Ashby pushed for the ambulances during last week's council meeting. But, she says she voted for firefighter staffing because it is the only way to ensure ambulance service this coming fiscal year.

The alternative budget proposal was voted down 5-4.

The budget will go to the council budget committee next week and then back to the council the week after that.