Springfield mayor predicts 'very' tight budget

SPRINGFIELD — The mayor of Springfield says he anticipates the "most difficult" budget he's had to put together.

Mayor Mike Houston tells The (Springfield) State Journal-Register for a story published over the weekend that it's a "very very tight budget."

For three years, Springfield officials have been making cuts. City officials say there aren't many obvious places left to make reductions.

The city has little revenue growth. A proposed corporate fund budget includes an increase of less than 1 percent, or about $713,000from the $117.4 million in the current fiscal year's budget.

City officials say the overall increase is from rising employee health care costs and pension funds for police and fire departments.

The heads of city departments have been asked to submit budget requests.