DALLAS — A nearly $50 million deficit is the best-case scenario for next Dallas city budget.
We just got the first public estimate for the 2012-2013 spending plan, and the shortfall could go as high as $87 million.
A huge chunk of the deficit is nearly $29 million due to police officers and firefighters. It is money they gave up in leaner times a couple of years ago.
City Manager Mary Suhm also wants to restore civilian employee pay; that's another $6 million.
Suhm seeks to eliminate furlough days and restore some services like libraries that fell victim to budget cuts in recent years.
This is a very early draft of the city's spending plan. News 8 will be following the entire budget process on air and online at WFAA.com.
