Like other Arizona cities, Chandler is struggling to predict how the coronavirus pandemic will affect its future.
Chandler is meeting later this week to plan its 2020-2021 budget, but Management Services Director Dawn Lang said the city’s economic outlook is hard to predict because this pandemic is different from past recessions.
“Our permits are actually up right now, contracting is actually going strong in the community, planned developments are still moving forward, but it’s interesting to see that those type of things are still moving along which is very different than a regular recession and downturn," she said.
But Lang said the city is sure of one thing: it will end its fiscal year with about $10.5 million less than originally projected.
“Beginning July 1, we are looking at and already incorporating into our proposed budget a $20 million reduction in revenues and corresponding expenditures," she said.
The city is already implementing some cost-saving measures, like keeping some vacant positions open and suspending travel, Lang said.
Meanwhile, the Police Department is offering a new service for businesses that have reduced their hours or closed due to the pandemic. Sgt. Jason McClimans says whenever possible, officers will patrol businesses that sign up.
“It’s something that we decided to go ahead with, give the business owners who have those restrictive businesses right now some peace of mind," he said.
The program is model off of another service the Chandler department offers to residents who are out on vacation and need someone to keep an eye on their homes. McClimans said the department hasn't decided yet if it will make the Business Watch program permanent.
Another thing the department is doing to deter crime is having officers work on paperwork from parking lots throughout the city, McClimans said.
