Cash-strapped City Council Approves $5 Million Loan to Keep Police on the Streets

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $5 million loan to keep police officers on the streets as the city grapples with a budget deficit.The loan will come from the city’s general fund and will be repaid over the next two years. It will allow the city to avoid laying off any police officers or cutting back on police services.The city is facing a $10 million budget deficit for the current fiscal year. The deficit is due to a number of factors, including a decrease in property tax revenue and an increase in pension costs.The city has already made a number of cuts to its budget, including reducing the number of firefighters and closing a number of city services. The loan to the police department is the latest in a series of measures the city is taking to close its budget deficit.The loan was opposed by some city residents who said it was a sign that the city was in financial trouble. However, the council voted to approve the loan, saying it was necessary to keep police officers on the streets.The city’s police department is currently understaffed, with about 100 fewer officers than it had five years ago. The loan will help the city hire more officers and keep the streets safe.