City of Fresno feels squeeze over rising gas prices, looks to make deep budget cuts

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As state prices tick up to $5.74 a gallon, the City of Fresno is feeling the squeeze.

"Any sustained implicit $5 prices is decidedly going to person an impact," Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White told Action News.

The rising prices adhd up erstwhile employees thrust a fleet of thousands of vehicles, with galore covering hundreds of miles a day.

"We're truly focused connected state and diesel costs, and those are mostly the standard-size vehicles, constabulary cars, pickup trucks, those types of vehicles," White said.

Looking to save, officials are cracking down connected idling.

"We person bundle installed successful a batch of our vehicles, not 100 percent, and we are capable to tally idling reports connected a monthly basis, and we springiness that to each department," White said.

Amid rising state costs, the metropolis is besides bracing for the fiscal interaction of a national tribunal judgment.

A national assemblage precocious sided with a erstwhile metropolis worker who sued implicit radical favoritism by a supervisor.

On Thursday, residents urged the assembly not to entreaty and to judge the judgment.

"The national assemblage yet determined that the City of Fresno is liable, and awarded $15.4 cardinal successful damages to Ms. Wilson," Cynthia Sterling said.

Action News asked Council President Nelson Esparza astir the interaction connected metropolis finances.

"That each remains to be, benignant of, determined conscionable depending connected however our security reacts and responds, and however overmuch they cover," Esparza said.

The city's fund shortage is already $23 million.

"Could taxes beryllium raised?" Action News asked. "Is that a possibility?"

"I don't spot that arsenic a anticipation astatine this time," Esparza said. "We're going to person to find immoderate places to perchance cut."

The nationalist volition not get a look astatine the fund until May 14, erstwhile the politician presents his connection to the council.

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