Queen Creek’s Town Council approved a $20.1 million General Fund budget Wednesday.
The council approved the budget on a 6-0 vote. Vice Mayor Gordon Mortensen was absent.
The budget package represents a $3.1 million cut to the General Fund for the new fiscal year, which starts July 1. The total budget, which includes money from various funds for water, sewer, capital funds and emergency services, totals $98.1 million.
Budget cuts were made to accommodate an average $3.1 million deficit projected for each of the next five years.
Town staff will shoulder most of the cuts. Twenty positions are slated for elimination, which will be achieved through a voluntary severance package, layoffs and cutting empty positions.
Queen Creek also plans to keep four-day workweeks and keep previously instituted pay freezes.
Other measures to balance the budget include raising fees for business and liquor license applications and moving some town publications to online only.
