The city, for example, issued no non-residential building permits in November but issued residential building permits in November, 2007 and November 2006. Last November is the first month the city issued no new non-commercial building permits in 2008.
City Manager Frank Ragan has outlined several measures to balance the budget against the decline in revenues. The city does not anticipate any staff layoffs.
“It is necessary for us to cut expenses to balance the budget. The most important thing is to explore every measure possible in order to avoid layoffs and avoid reductions in the most critical services to our citizens. I think the plan we are putting into place does just that,” Ragan said.
Effective immediately, the city will freeze or delay hiring of newly budgeted and vacant positions; review the need for planned consultant studies, resulting in possible delays or deferment of some; reduce or eliminate overtime by 25 percent from the original approved budget; reduce travel and training by a minimum of 10 percent from the original budget.
City staff will continue to evaluate daily operations and seek ways to save.
Council member for District 4 Ray Ricchi said on Jan. 16 that the there are other cities in North Texas that are having to make personnel changes due to their budgets and fortunately McKinney is not having to do that.
"We believe we can make the necessary changes in the budget without impacting people's livelihoods in McKinney while still maintaining the city's responsibility," Ricchi said.
In addition to the city adjusting to compensate for a budget deficit, there are some fewer places for people to spend money to help generate sales tax revenue as the following companies have either closed or are in the process of closing: Circuit City which was one of the anchor stores in the Target shopping center at the northwest corner of US 75 and US 380; Smith Drug Co.; Linens N Things; Ruby Tuesday restaurant; Steak Kountry; Amato's Restaurant in the Albertson's shopping center at the northeast corner of Stonebridge Drive and Virginia Parkway.
However, there is a new Ross clothing store, PetSmart, Lowe's Home Improvement Store, Dollar Tree and other stores that have opened at the northeast corner of State Highway 121 and Custer Road. New stores have also opened in downtown McKinney, such as
Uptown.
A new store is also being built in the vacant former Target store that used to be located at the northeast corner of US 75 and US 380 and has been vacant for more than one year.
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