The Bakersfield City Council has approved a $571 million budget after a 16 percent drop in sales tax revenue forced significant revisions to revenue projections and across-the-board cuts.

Chris Huot is the assistant to the city manager and says actions to bridge the projected $6.6 million gap will be noticeable.

“The reduction of overtime into the temporary employee budgets will most likely result in longer-than-desired response times to service-related requests, and (delay) the completion of some special projects,” he said.

Huot blamed the first quarter shortfall on oilfield layoffs.

– Anthony Pollreisz