Today Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan vetoed Amendment No. 2 of the 2012 general operating budget, which would have added $144,607 to the Department of Parks and Recreation's budget.
"The Parks and Recreation Department has identified savings, without unduly diminishing services, by creating four seasonal part time positions in place of three full-time positions," Sullivan said in the memo announcing the veto. "I encourage and support efforts to provide quality service at the best price... Now is not the time to make a false promise of long term full time employment, when it is apparent that seasonal, part-time work can accomplish the same tasks."
Mayor Sullivan cites public/private collaborations such as the Bonny Sosa Tuesday Night Race Series and Mayor's Marathon as examples of a changed approach to funding.
The assembly can override the mayor's veto with a supermajority of 8 votes or more at tonight's meeting, the last of 2011. The amendment passed at the last assembly meeting by a vote of 6 to 5.
