The Budget Numbers

Parks and Rec has a $5.1 M budget (2009-10 adopted), but costs the city a net $3.4 M after user fees (classes, camps, etc.).  This net $3.4 M is roughly 10% of the city's $34.6 operating budget.  Parks and Rec is going to be chopped from 10-20%.

Parks Maintenance jumps out at me.  It is 20% of the parks and recreation budget (30% of the net expense).  The org chart (see below: click to enlarge) is littered with maintenance workers costing $1.1 M.   Doug Long volunteered in his initial presentation that these workers were a bad target for cuts since they are dedicated to the city (unlike an outsourced vendor) and ready to be responsive to urgent city needs.  That sounds to me like they are underutilized.   I want to know how much responsiveness would be lost and how much money saved if we outsourced park maintenance ENTIRELY.  I just have to believe government salary and benefits for always available maintenance workers are FAR above the going rate charged to corporations by private landscaping companies.  We should, at any rate, know the numbers of what could be saved.