City considers layoffs, shuttering skate park to close $15.4M budget gap

In response to a council inquiry, Ochoa said the city could offer employees at risk of being laid off the opportunity to take voluntary furloughs, but the feasibility of that happening would be known until after final retirement numbers are solidified.

The $15.4-million gap for next fiscal year consists of $7.7 million due to the redevelopment loss, $1.4 million triggered by automatic raises for employees — known as step increases — about $3 million to shore up workers compensation and liability funds, and other expenses.

In addition to General Fund issues, the city's utility also faces cuts. About 15 Glendale Water & Power employees plan to retire and 18 others may join them, according to a city report.

The city plans to continue to transfer about $21 million from the electrical side of the utility to the General Fund and cap capital improvement spending at $8.2 million, even though infrastructure needs outpace the available budget.

Glendale Water & Power raised water rates to chip away at a nearly $21-million deficit on the water side of the utility in March.

Later this month, the city plans to create an electric rate advisory committee as the first step toward possibly boosting electricity rates by September.