KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Coronavirus-related revenue shortfalls are forcing the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County to implement cost-saving measures.
Those measures include a 10-day furlough program for most UG employees.
County Administrator Doug Bach announced the measures Friday afternoon.
Bach said reducing services, deferring expenses and borrowing from account surpluses has saved the UG roughly $22 million.
The furlough program is expected to provide additional relief for a remaining $2.5 million shortfall in the 2020 budget.
Bach cites declining sales and gasoline tax revenues for the shortfall.
“While I was trying to avoid impacts on employees by reducing spending in many areas, it has become clear that part of our financial solution will come at the expense of employee salaries,“ Bach said Friday. “This decision does not come lightly. We are going to move quickly so that employees can take advantage of the federal unemployment benefits that add an additional $600 to the State weekly unemployment payment.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
