By Jacque Day
Murray, KY – Last night Murray officials once again opened the city's budget discussion to regular citizens. Dozens of people turned out to the Old Post Office in downtown Murray for an overview of the city's Comprehensive Revenue Study. A major point of discussion: how to close the gap on a projected General Fund shortfall of $1 to $2 million dollars per year, over the next five years.
City finance director Alan Lanier says, by ordinance, those who work or live in the city of Murray (except those Murray State students neither working in or living permanently in Murray) are required to purchase city vehicle stickers. But up to now, this revenue source has been difficult to enforce because the city doesn't maintain vehicle ownership records for people living outside Murray.
"The folks that drive into the city... and we know 60% of the people who work in the city come from outside of the city borders, and drive a vehicle at some establishment here in the city... we don't know about those people because we have no records of them... within the city."
Records reflect about 13,500 vehicle stickers sold in Murray each year. Lanier says city sticker enforcement falls onto random checks by law enforcement personnel, which he says is an inefficient use of that resource.