Mayor to talk finances in State of the City

By Cassie Tomlin

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 | 4:03 p.m.

Increasing utility bills for residents and more reductions to city services are ahead -- not a rosy projection for the rest of 2009.

But reality will be the subject of Mayor Roger Tobler's second State of the City speech, he said, as officials try to fix the town's financial problems instead of hiding them.

Tobler is scheduled to deliver his address at 6 p.m. Jan. 29 in City Hall, 401 California Avenue. A social hour will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Tobler said the city needs to put major street and sewer projects on hold, charge more for electricity and water and rework expensive labor contracts to keep the city budget from going into the red before 2010.

"We have the time to fix things and prepare," he said.

A bright spot during the economic slump is more than $1 million expected in lease revenue from new solar plants in the Eldorado Valley, Tobler said.

He plans to explain during the speech what he expects NextLight Renewable Power to contribute.

Tobler said he will also reiterate that he thinks the city should reduce its debt by selling land.

Especially with the upcoming $20 million bill to Southern Nevada Water Authority for a share of the third pipeline into Lake Mead, the city should focus on eliminating what it already owes, he said.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].