Message from the Mayor: Further 2025 Spending Cuts May Put Services at Risk
Dear Clyde Hill Residents,
As your Mayor, I am committed to ensuring that our city remains a place where we not only preserve our unique character but also continue to provide the essential services that make Clyde Hill a wonderful community to live in. Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with many of you, and one thing is clear: our community deeply values city services — from the visible, like law enforcement and infrastructure, to the less visible but no less important efforts by our administrative staff who oversee city finances, assist with policymaking, provide community information, strategically manage the growing complexity of regulations, and provide a supportive work environment for all City employees.
As we approach the finalization of the 2025 City Budget, I want to share some important updates and invite your input. In my last budget message, I highlighted the City’s growing structural deficit and outlined the strategies I have proposed to reduce spending. Since presenting my 2025 Preliminary Budget, my administration, in collaboration with the City Council, has identified an additional $250,000 in expenditure reductions. While this is a step in the right direction, it is not without risk. Further cuts would likely have real, long-term consequences. Additional reductions would almost certainly require layoffs, a decision that I believe should not be taken lightly.
I believe it is crucial that we do not lose sight of what makes our city special. While there have been many suggested changes to the way we provide services, such as contracting with other communities or reducing staff, we must weigh the potential costs in terms of the ability to prioritize what matters most to our residents.
I strongly believe that the best solutions come from collaboration, and I welcome your ideas on how we can continue to maintain the quality of services without compromising our values or the responsiveness that defines our local government. I urge you to join me in advocating for the adoption of a 2025 Budget without further cuts impacting services, and to allow my administration and the City Council the time and resources to fully explore long-term options. We can commence this important work immediately.
Please join us on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:00 PM at Clyde Hill City Hall for a public hearing on the 2025 Budget. Your participation is important as we work together to shape the future of Clyde Hill.
Thank you for your continued engagement and support.
Sincerely,
Steve Friedman
Mayor of Clyde Hill
Posted November 8, 2024
