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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011 | Vol. 13, No. 41 WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | 50¢
Giant goal
City mixes layoffs and property tax increase to balance 2012 budget BY GREG SKINNER GSKINNER@BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM
With Band-Aid fixes and budget patches all used up, the City of Bremerton says it has little choice but to raise property taxes and lay off more than two dozen workers in an effort to send a balanced budget to City Council for action before an early December vote and adoption. Monday, notices were sent to 25 city employees that are expected to be laid off if the council approves the 2012 budget unveiled by Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent Wednesday evening during a city council study session on the matter. Eight additional positions will go unfilled to combine for a savings on 32 city workers positions. The 2012 proposed budget includes a recommendation, by city staff, that the current property tax rate be raised by 1 percent, the maximum allowable. Its balance relies on the increase. Combined with layoffs, the property tax increase is expected to largely cover the budget gap. The proposed budget document was not released to the public before the council had the chance to read and consider Wednesday, which happened after deadline for this paper. The budget was expected to be available online by Thursday afternoon. Since last month’s discussion on what was an expectSEE BUDGET, A8
Marbled Murrelet raises concerns for Navy project Supplemental EIS evaluates risk that Bangor construction could pose for the endangered bird. BY JJ SWANSON JSWANSON@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
Greg Skinner/staff photo
Local giant pumpkin grower Mark Murphy cuts into the back of an Atlantic Giant to perform an autopsy in effort to gain ideas for bigger results next year. See the full story on page A10.
The shores and oldgrowth forests surrounding Hood Canal are a natural habitat of the endangered marbled murrelet, a small-bodied seabird which is protected under federal law. This area is also the site designated
for Navy construction of a second explosives handling wharf to support the Trident D-5 Missile program. Concerns for the safety of the marbled murrelet are causing the Navy to proceed with caution. After the release of the SEE MURRELET, A8