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flexible costs that they have, including salary and wages - -had to be cut more than 4% to <br />achieve a 4% reduction in the budget. <br />MR. KAULUKUKUI: Are there funded, vacant positions in the budget still? <br />MS.CRAWFORD: There are, yes. At any given time you have funded, vacant positions. <br />That money is not lost, or wasted, or squandered. Anything that is vacant this year, because <br />we have been slowing down on filling vacancies that goes to help build a fund balance that <br />will help fund next year's budget. It does not get transferred, as some have been concerned, <br />that it becomes a slush -fund for various things. We report to the Council how it is <br />transferred, and it has been extremely rare that we have made a transfer from salary and <br />wages to any thing but other salary and wages. <br />MR. KAULUKUKUI: Can you estimate the number of positions that are funded and vacant <br />in the current budget? <br />MS.CRAWFORD: I'm sorry. I don't have that information with me today. <br />MR. KAULUKUKUI: Is it in the score of 10's, or 100's? <br />MS.CRAWFORD: It is probably - - -We have a work force of like 2,600 people. So, I can <br />imagine that at this point in time, particularly because we haven't been letting every one fill <br />all of the vacancies, we are talking about 100's. <br />MR. KAULUKUKUI: Okay, thank you. <br />CHR. HAITSUKA: Mr. Unger. <br />MR. UNGER: I have a question. What do you consider fixed costs? Your assistant was <br />here last meeting and she referenced that, and I think she used 75% of your budget was fixed <br />costs. So, what do you consider fixed costs? <br />MS.CRAWFORD: I may not think of all of them, but some examples of fixed costs are debt <br />service; we are mandated to take care of our debt service as a priority, when we go out for <br />bonds. Our leases, in general, that are longer term commitments. The benefits, like our <br />contributions to the Employee's Retirement System (ERS) and the Health Fund, which are <br />large and do not just automatically change as - - -The ERS is now tied to our wages that we <br />actually pay, but it is still a very large contribution, and if you have a small number of <br />vacancies, it doesn't have a large impact. Actually, if you will allow me just a moment so <br />that I - -- <br />MR. UNGER: Is that 75% something that you agree with, that 75% of your budget is made <br />up of these fixed costs? <br />MS.CRAWFORD: Yes, it is as very high percentage, and I would agree with that number. <br />She actually worked out the calculations, which I don't have here. But, I think that is <br />7 <br />