http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0124evrawles24.html

Concerns get budget link pulled from Mesa Web site

Justin Juozapavicius The Arizona Republic Jan. 24, 2006 12:00 AM

MESA - Mesa has yanked a link from its city Web site after a City Councilman said it could potentially deceive residents about the city's budget.

"It was very misleading to the public," said Councilman Tom Rawles, who raised the concern about the site last week.

At issue was a 12-page document posted on the city's Web site dated Dec. 22, a day after the council voted to put Mesa's first property tax in 60 years on a May ballot.

Titled "Alternative Budget," it lists 107 city services that could be cut, from two library branches to the park ranger program, if the city can't generate new revenue to make up a $37.7 million shortfall.

Rawles contended that the services cut list, distributed last fall, was only a working document and had yet to be finalized by the council.

By posting it with an official title and date, residents who viewed the pages could have been led to believe all the proposed services would go away, Rawles said. The city pulled the link Friday.

Former City Manager Mike Hutchinson said he "probably" ordered the link posted, but there was no intention to deceive residents.

"I'll take the hit," said Hutchinson, who retired Dec. 31.

Chris Brady, Hutchinson's successor, said Monday the link will be properly named and posted again with a caveat that it is only a suggested list of budget cuts.

Voters will decide Mesa's first property tax since World War II on May 16. A sales-tax increase is also on the ballot.