Bloglander

The Spokane City Council wants to talk. Or, at least they want Mayor Mary Verner to talk to the city's eight collective bargaining units to convince them they don't need raises this year. Not because they haven't been doing a bang-up job, but rather because the city is broke, broke, broke.

According to a statement, if all of the city's 2,000 employees went without a raise this year, the city would save $3 million. Which still leaves the city $9 million in the hole.

The mayor has already made some proposed cuts, including slashing the library's budget by $500,000. And she's suggested eliminating up to 120 positions at the city.

To learn more, head out to a raucous budget presentation near you. There's one tonight at the North Indian Trail Neighborhood Council Meeting (Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 8441 N. Indian Trail Road) from 7 to 8 p.m. There's another on Thursday at Browne Elementary, 5102 N. Driscoll Blvd., from 7 to 8:30 pm. On Monday, at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook, another will be held between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. And finally, on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at the Fourth Memorial Church, 2000 N. Standard, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Bring popcorn.