FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — As gas prices tick up to $5.74 a gallon, the City of Fresno is feeling the squeeze.<\/p>\n
“Any sustained over $5 prices is definitely going to have an impact,” Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White told Action News.<\/p>\n
The rising prices add up when employees drive a fleet of thousands of vehicles, with many covering hundreds of miles a day.<\/p>\n
“We’re really focused on gas and diesel costs, and those are mostly the standard-size vehicles, police cars, pickup trucks, those types of vehicles,” White said.<\/p>\n
Looking to save, officials are cracking down on idling.<\/p>\n
“We have software installed in a lot of our vehicles, not 100 percent, and we are able to run idling reports on a monthly basis, and we give that to each department,” White said.<\/p>\n
Amid rising gas costs, the city is also bracing for the financial impact of a federal court judgment.<\/p>\n
A federal jury recently sided with a former city employee who sued over racial discrimination by a supervisor.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, residents urged the council not to appeal and to accept the judgment.<\/p>\n
“The federal jury ultimately determined that the City of Fresno is liable, and awarded $15.4 million in damages to Ms. Wilson,” Cynthia Sterling said.<\/p>\n
Action News asked Council President Nelson Esparza about the impact on city finances.<\/p>\n
“That all remains to be, kind of, determined just depending on how our insurance reacts and responds, and how much they cover,” Esparza said.<\/p>\n
The city’s budget deficit is already $23 million.<\/p>\n
“Could taxes be raised?” Action News asked. “Is that a possibility?”<\/p>\n
“I don’t see that as a possibility at this time,” Esparza said. “We’re going to have to find some places to potentially cut.”<\/p>\n
The public will not get a look at the budget until May 14, when the mayor presents his proposal to the council.<\/p>\n
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