Despite a dwindling budget, the Gainesville City Commission will still focus on purchasing conservation land and renovating public buildings in the new year.
Budget proposals won't be announced until the summer, but the souring national economy leads officials to expect deeper budget cuts.
Still, Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan said she wants to help maintain the quality of life for Gainesville residents.
"I'm cautiously optimistic," Hanrahan said of the coming year.
Last year, the city was able to trim about $2 million from the budget, she said. Still, officials continue to face tough decisions regarding cutting costs and raising revenue.
One way Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa wants to increase city funds is by tackling underage drinking in restaurants and bars.
A proposed ordinance would force bars and restaurants with too many underage drinking arrests to deny entry to patrons under 21 after 9 p.m. This would decrease the number of bar patrol officers.
"It's an economic incentive to manage underage drinking and reduce police costs," said Mastrodicasa, who is also UF's vice president of student affairs. Despite cost-saving measures like the proposed ordinance, public service departments are not immune from budget shortfalls.
Services like fire and police departments, which Mastrodicasa said are usually safe from budget cuts, will now be re-examined.
Mayor Hanrahan said managing the budget is difficult, but she is ready to rise to the challenge.
"The end goal is to continue to make Gainesville a great place to live," she said.
