Mayor Ballard presents city budget

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Mayor Ballard presented the billion-dollar city budget Monday afternoon.

Ballard began by noting that Indianapolis has a $65 million deficit. However, we are not alone. Ballard says the economic picture is "rather bleak" for cities across the country.

He says police and fire contracts will be opened again to close the gap. Merit -based pay will also start for city workers this year. Ryan Vaughn, Ballard's chief of staff, says salaries will able to be renegotiated along with other costs, but the contract as a whole cannot be reopened.

Public safety will take 85% of the general fund. However, the city is looking for alternatives.

For example, the city is looking at reassigning officers or hiring officers from Lawrence. This would potentially ease the load on IMPD.

Ballard says other cities across the nation are cutting the number of cops. Indianapolis is not. "We are buying lower crime," he says, "we are not buying people. We need to be more efficient in our public safety spending."

The city says it is doing more to find efficiencies and savings from the 2013 budget year to the 2014 budget year.

Ballard says the city is trying to find alternatives that are best for the tax payer.

Furthermore, Vaughn says both Republicans Democrats are eager to reach a budget agreement.