The City of Des Moines is facing a $2.9 million budget shortfall for 2009.

At the city council meeting on Oct. 9, Des Moines lawmakers began preliminary discussions on where cuts could be made to balance the budget.

Loss in revenues and employee costs are being blamed for the shortfall.

There are three police officer positions still waiting to be filled to bring the force back to where it was in 1999. One budget balancing suggestion was to hold off filling those spots. A levy lid lift was passed by the voters to pay for the additional officers.

Agreeing on little else, council members said they felt the city had an obligation to the voters who approved the levy funds and the three positions should not be cut to balance the budget.

Lawmakers also said they were committed to funding the Domestic Violence Advocate.

Another money saving measure would be to hold off on scheduled computer and rental equipment replacements for another year. City Manager Tony Piasecki said he felt confident the equipment could hold up.

The closure of the Mount Rainier Pool could come earlier than expected, becoming a victim of the deficit. The contract for the pool right now is for 2009, but the city can end the contract earlier in the event of financial hardship.

No cuts have been made, or decided on. The council will be discussing the budget from now until the budget is approved, which could be as late as the end of the year.

The council also discussed the Pacific Ridge development project, setting a public hearing date for Oct. 30 at the Des Moines City Hall at 7:30 p.m.

A property tax exemption on the Pacific Ridge developments is being discussed to encourage potential developers and buyers.

The tax exemption would only be for new buildings with the land still being taxed. The exemption is for eight years, after which the owner would pay taxes on the building and the land. How many properties and what they will have to do to be eligible is something that will decided by the council.

Jason Sullivan, a Des Moines City land use planner, said that most of the land in question is vacant buildings or trailer homes, which currently only get taxed for the value of the land.

Mayor Pro-tem Dan Sherman spoke against the exemption, saying the burden of making up the difference in property taxes would be put on existing homeowners.

"I would say that this is one of the worst pieces of legislation I have seen in all the years I have been on the council," Sherman said.

He said the people who move in are going to need services but are not going to be paying for them for eight years.

Councilwoman Carmen Scott said it has been an area of disturbing criminal activity for some time and if a change is expected it needs to stop being a home to people who attract the police.

"I don't think we should do anything to discourage someone who is willing to develop it in a far better way," Scott said.