The Peoria Housing Authority is going back to the drawing table to revise its 2013 budget. That’s a result of sequestration cuts that began last month. PHA staff recently learned agencies across the country will likely be shorted 27 percent of the federal funding they’re budgeted to receive. It equates to a 370-thousand dollar reduction in federal money for the PHA.
Brenda Coates is PHA’s Chief Executive officer. She says staff is considering everything when determining what to cut. But she says decreasing employees will be at the bottom of the list.
"To reduce staff would put us in a situation where it would negatively impact our operations, so right now, today, I can't say that that would be a consideration. But certainly (it's) something that could be put on the table."
Coates says the further decline in funding could mean a reduction in service for PHA’s clients. She says that might mean slower response to maintenance issues. Coates says budget revision talks begin in the next 30 days.