🌮 Navigating Salem's Budget Challenges: Proposed Cuts for FY 2025

Author

Jacob Espinoza
April 18, 2024

Happy Thursday Salem! Who is ready for the sunshine this weekend???

Excited to continue growing this newsletter. Thanks to all of our news subscribers.

This week we’ve added weather updates, live entertainment, and a weekly sports schedule.

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Weather Updates:

🌥️ Saturday (April 21): Mostly sunny with a slight chance of showers after 11am. The temperature will reach a high of about 63°F. At night, expect a slight chance of showers before it becomes partly cloudy, with a low around 43°F.

🌤️ Sunday (April 22): The day will be partly sunny with a high near 64°F. Evening temperatures will cool down to a partly cloudy night and a low around 41°F.

🌞 Overall Weekend Outlook: The weekend looks pleasant with mostly sunny skies and mild temperatures. There's a slight chance of rain on Saturday, so you might want to keep an umbrella handy!

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Prepare to be amazed as the historic 285 Liberty Plaza building transforms into The Forge, a vibrant mixed-use destination.

Why should you get excited? Mix ample parking and a prime location, The Forge is ready to become a cornerstone of downtown Salem's revitalization.

The approval process is underway, with construction set to begin soon. Get ready to forge unforgettable memories at this game-changing development.

Stay tuned for grand opening announcements and follow our journey as we redefine downtown Salem. The future is bright at The Forge!

What’s Happening Salem

As we get closer to the new fiscal year, we wanted to fill you in on the proposed budget for FY 2025 and the challenges we're facing as a city.

Like a lot of cities across the country, Salem has been dealing with a budget deficit that just won't quit. This means we've had to make some tough choices to make sure our spending matches the resources we have available. The proposed budget for FY 2025 includes a bunch of cuts that will affect various services and departments in our city.

Here are some of the most significant changes:

  • The Salem Public Library is going to lose 7.25 full-time positions, which means the West Salem branch will have to close and the Main branch will have reduced hours and programming.

  • The Youth Development program, which provides grants, materials, and staffing for programs that engage Salem's youth, is on the chopping block.

  • Parks and Recreation is facing cuts to seasonal recreation positions for softball and youth sports/camp programs, as well as less evening and weekend staff support for volunteer, recreational, and facility use events. To avoid even more cuts, fees for Parks and Recreation have gone up.

  • Parks Operations is also losing seasonal staffing positions and increasing fees.

  • The Community Services Department will have less staff and support for programs like homeless and sheltering coordination and neighborhood services.

  • Center 50+, which is a community center for older adults, and recreation services are going to take a combined $800,000 hit from cuts, including getting rid of some contracted services and reducing seasonal staffing.

  • The Police Department is losing one position that helps with graffiti cleanup, and there are significant cuts to sheltering programs, although some of these programs will keep going into FY 2025 using leftover state sheltering grant money.

We know these cuts are going to be felt by our community, and we want you to know that these decisions weren't easy to make. Our city leaders have been working hard to find solutions to our money problems while trying to minimize the impact on our residents.

So, here's where we'd love to hear from you: What services and programs do you value most in our city? How can we work together to maintain the quality of life in Salem during these challenging times?

We believe that by staying engaged and sharing ideas, we can find creative solutions and build a stronger, more resilient community. Feel free to reach out to us with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions.

SALEM’S LIVE MUSIC SCENE

Friday

Slay Em’ Comedy Showcase | Infinity Room | 8pm

The Oregon Opry | Salem's Historic Theater | 8pm

Oregon Symphony | Smith Auditorium, Willamette University | 7:30pm 

Saturday

Petty Fever | Elsinore | 7:30pm

Peace Frog: A Tribute To The Doors | Salem’s historic grand Theater | 8pm

Roundhouse Duo  | Taproot Lounge & Cafe | 9pm

Sunday

Joke Lab with Toney & Emily | Infinity Room | 4pm

SALEM SPORTS

Upcoming games & matches

Friday

Softball 6A-6 Central Valley Conference | North Salem vs West Salem | West Salem High School | 4:30pm

Softball 6A-6 Central Valley Conference | South Salem vs Sprague | Sprague High School | 4:30pm

BaseBall 6A-6 Central Valley Conference | South Salem vs McNary | Gilmore Field 12/th/Hoyt | 5pm

Baseball Non-League  | Ida B. Wells vs Sprague | Sprague High School | 5pm

Saturday

Salem Capitals vs Emerald City Jaguars | The Salem Armory | 6:30 pm

Salem Blackbears vs The Wolfpack | Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center | 6:30 pm

Sunday

Salem Capitals vs Seattle Superhawks | The Salem Armory | 3:00 pm

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