Here now, the three year framework of how Ypsilanti starts to cut back

With the budget woes facing our fair city, City Manager Ed Koryzno has been busy drawing up a framework of cutbacks, changes and black magic. A quick look at some proposed changes:

*Police: Reduce police staffing from five to four per shift, participate in a regional police authority, freeze four jobs in the department and reduce lobby hours to allow officers to spend more time on road patrol.

*Fire: Keep three firefighter jobs vacant, contract out fire marshal duties and participate in a fire district with the city of Ann Arbor.

*Public works: Eliminate the parks department, allow residents to maintain small parks or sell some of them and freeze three vacancies in the department.

*Planning and community development: Reduce staffing from three to two, contract out major planning and zoning tasks, prioritize ordinance enforcement to maintain healthy neighborhoods and reduce services to the Historic District Commission.

And the BIGGEST possible cutback that everyone will want to know about, the Bus Service funds.

*The AATA has been subsidizing half of the cost. The authority could stop funding bus service in the city next year, and Ypsilanti would have to pay the entire cost. No final decisions have been made on this or any of the other possible cuts.

YCD Realizes we HAVE to keep the busses running in and out of Ypsi. We'd also not ever like to consider the Parks Department SELLING any of OUR city treasures. Johnny once said woe be to the City Council person dumb enough to sign off on that. If he ever sees "Frog Island presented by Olive Garden" he's gonna drag some council members to the banks of the Huron River for a 'come to Jesus' meeting. Dick Cheney will be invited as an official witness to make sure it's being done right.

Keep the busses, keep the parks (yes WE can mow them) and past that it sounds good thus far.

UPDATE: Paul Schreiber reminds us that Mr. Koryzno is following the lead of Ypsi City Council. We apologize for any misunderstanding.