As a new board is selected for the Greater Wenatchee Public Facilities District that governs the TownToyotaCenter – that will meet for the first time next month to work out a plan to pay off the TownToyotaCenter’s nearly $42 million debt- the City of Wenatchee is struggling to fix a $1.5 million shortfall in their budget.

 

First the Wenatchee City Council unanimously voted to not pay a nearly $1 million interest payment on the arena- and late last week, in front of a standing room only crowd- Wenatchee Mayor, Frank Kuntz, unveiled a budget cutting plan with cuts to firefighters, police and the Wenatchee Valley Museum.

 

Mayor Kuntz, tells us that the cuts are, in part, the aftermath of years of trying to save the arena.

 

The new board will  have use of the 1 tenth of 1 percent sales tax increase approved by voters across much of Chelan and Douglas Counties, as well as the 2 tenths of 1 percent sales tax increase the City of Wenatchee imposed without voter approval to pay off the arena’s outstanding debt.

 

 

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