City department heads present budget requests

City of Gaffney Administrator James Taylor will be putting the squeeze - so to speak - on city department heads to stay within the spending limits for the proposed 2008-'09 budget.

The city's six department heads submitted their wish lists to Taylor on Monday. Taylor said he will spend the next few days analyzing the budget requests in preparation for a Friday, April 25 budget workshop with the finance committee and department heads.

A budget workshop with full council is planned for Monday, May 5.

First reading of the proposed budget is scheduled for Monday, June 2. If things go according to plan, a public hearing and second reading will take place June 16.

Last year, council approved a $10,881,663 spending plan that included a 4-mill tax hike and a 3 percent cost-of-living raise for city employees.

Two years ago, council proposed pay raises for council members. After initially approving the $3,000 pay raise, council rescinded the hefty pay hike.