Possible Deficit Leaves Utica In Sticky Situation [UPDATED]

If the Common Council is right, Utica's projected deficit could be disastrous.

Recently, the council's projections have the city managing a deficit between $3.8 and $4.2 million, and if the two percent tax cap is accepted by the city's legislators, only $400,000 would enter city coffers.

Mayor Robert Palmieri made it clear cuts would have to be made, saying, "The City of Utica faces extraordinary and uncertain times. We cannot discount any eventuality nor discard any option."

In a memorandum, he writes that hypothetically, it could be possible 55 more employees would be slashed from the payrolls, programs be cut, police units eliminated and the loss of at lease one fire station.

The cuts would once again come from the Utica Police and Fire Departments, where 20 people would be laid off, along with 15 employees from the Public Works Department.

Palmieri says the city is facing troubling times, but the "Common Council needs to give itself every responsible power and avail itself of every reasonable alternative."

Last year, the Mayor said the city's deficit was about $7.8 million. Palmieri says he hopes this year's projections will be less, but says more cuts may be inevitable.

To read the mayor's memorandum to the Common Council, click here.