Budgets tighten over high gas prices

Governments adjusting daily operations

SOUTH DAKOTA – High gas prices affect almost everyone’s budget, and many government departments have adjusted their daily operations to cope.

City Finance Officer Karl Alberts said departments such as parks, recreation and forestry, the police and public works have analyzed budgets and are keeping an eye on prices.

“We’re pretty early in our fiscal year and in our construction year,” he said. “With only four of 12 months under our belt, we’re acutely aware of what the prices might do, but there’s no official doctrine of cutting back or anything like that at this point.”

However, many departments are taking preventative steps to avoid a fuel budget crisis. Alberts said the police department is considering placing officers on foot and bike patrol, and parks and rec will spend less money in certain areas to allow enough money for work that requires gas, such as mowing lawns.

Other uses: Not only does public works use gasoline, but construction materials such as asphalt and utility pipes are petroleum-based and therefore increasing in cost, he said. Contractors hired by the city are also affected because they use those products as well as gasoline.

American News (Aberdeen, SD)