Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen says despite a shortfall in city revenues and overall tight budget outlook, a layoff of city employees isn't being discussed.

The mayor notes city revenues for the fiscal year are currently about $300,000 below forecast. That's being caused by a $600,000 decrease in sales and use tax collections. Lower than expected revenues from the mining sector--which in Laramie County mostly means the oil industry--and wholesale business transactions are the big factors.

But the mayor notes other sales and use tax collections are actually ahead of projections. The other good news for the budget is city expenditures are actually $900,000 below forecast.

While the overall numbers actually have the city budget doing a little better than projected, Kaysen says the revenue picture is still an ongoing concern.

Because of that the mayor says the city will take some cost-cutting measures. Those include not automatically filling open positions, and a hiring freeze except for jobs that are considered vital to public safety. The mayor says employee training will be looked at on a case-by case basis, as will city equipment purchases.

But he says rumors that have been circulating of layoffs of city employees just aren't true, adding the idea hasn't even been considered so far.

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