COLUMBIA, MO. -- Columbia City Council Members met for their final budget work session on Monday night.
Next year’s proposed Columbia city budget is more than $385 million.
The proposed budget does not include any tax increases.
During this past weekend’s budget work session, Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid and city council members suggested cutting back on travel, training and food expenses to help pay for the hiring of four firefighters and four police officers as a message to taxpayers.
City Manager Bill Watkins wants to cut eight firefighter positions.
“Anything that we can do more efficiently, we’re going to do," McDavid said. "Anything that enhances productivity, we are going to do. We have just got to find ways throughout the whole city of saving money.”
Columbia City Council Members will hold two more public hearings on next year’s city budget.
The next public hearing takes place at their council meeting on the Tuesday night after Labor Day.
The final public hearing will happen during their Sept. 20 council meeting when council members are scheduled to approve next year’s city budget.