The city of Des Moines held a budget forum on Dec. 15 at 11:30 a.m. at the Central Library downtown, nicely timed and located to draw members of the business community.

However, the room held mostly city staff and concerned private citizens; it’s too bad more business people didn’t take the opportunity.

The budget cuts the city is contemplating affect individuals more directly than business operations, it’s true, but our companies don’t operate in a vacuum. It’s a constant battle to get the best and brightest to live and work in Central Iowa. Libraries, recreational facilities and ambulance services count too, right along with salaries and benefits.

The city has been cutting for several years now. There might not be much fat remaining.

At the forum last week, department heads presented the cuts they’re recommending to City Manager Rick Clark and the City Council, along with what might come next if absolutely necessary.

Public works would jettison what little is left of the sidewalk maintenance crew and cut back on street cleaning. The police would spend less on its already outsourced animal control program and chop $186,000 in overtime. Park and recreation’s recommendations include outsourced maintenance of cemeteries and fewer trash barrels for city staff to empty in the parks.

The fire department expects to drop one of its eight ambulances. The library proposes closing each facility one day a week – adding up to the savings that would be realized by losing one completely.

Along with spending cuts, the city wants more revenue; it’s reminiscent of the national budget debate that never gets anywhere. A proposed increase in property taxes would bring an additional $38 to the city each year from the owner of a $150,000 house.

Some of those present reminded city staffers that the public is being forced to pay higher prices for everything at once.

But so is the city.