By Jackee Coe | The Republic
Jerry Weiers approached his first year as mayor with a plain-spoken, no-nonsense manner, and that continued through his State of the City address.
“Glendale is facing one of its worst budget shortfalls in the city’s history,” he told an audience at the Glendale Renaissance Hotel & Spa on Feb. 27.
The city’s general fund, which covers operations from police to parks, faces a projected $30 million annual shortfall in three years unless city leaders take action.
“Glendale’s financial problem is real,” Weiers said. “And it is very serious.”
He said the problems began before most of the current elected leaders took office, but he said City Council members must own the situation and act together. “It’s our responsibility and no one else’s. We need to fix this once and for all,” he said.
One piece of the solution, which Weiers said would be his No. 1 priority, is to seek state funding for public-safety costs associated with hosting the Super Bowl.
