OPELOUSAS, La (KLFY) – The city of Opelousas has been working without a budget for four months, and that’s going to continue.

Tuesday night, the city council voted down the mayor’s budget proposal for the 2016 fiscal year.

A budget should’ve been passed back in September.

“We need to negoiate and come to some kind of common ground,” said Opelousas City Councilwoman, Sherell Roberts.

Members have been at odds over the city’s budget. Its been the topic of discussion for at least the last four meetings.

“The budget committee met, we talked about different cuts that were going to have to be done,” said Opelousas Mayor, Reginald Tatum.

Tatum says the cuts would help fulfill the $400,000 shortfall, but he says some of the recommended cuts to city departments aren’t reasonable.

“I’m not going to cripple the citizens of Opelousas by making the cuts that they want,” said Mayor Tatum.

The mayor says all city departments went under budget last year. He’s hesitant to make additional cuts.

“We saw what they didn’t use and we just cut that,” said Mayor Tatum, but he says some board members believe the departments need more cuts.

“If we cut so much where we can’t provide the day to day services, then we’re in trouble,” said Mayor Tatum.

The mayor says he looked at other options, such as taking money from the sales tax fund to fix the deficit.

“I didn’t take any money out of the sales tax fund last year, this year we need to, and that’s what it’s there for,” said Mayor Tatum. “We have probably $3 million in it.”

However, the mayor’s proposal to fill the gap that way failed after a 4-2 vote. Councilwoman Roberts was one of two members pushing for the mayor’s budget to pass.

“I did vote to approve the budget because we need this city to keep moving forward cause right now we’re at a standstill and it’s hurting Opelousas,” said Councilwoman Roberts. “I’ve spoken to department heads: the fire department head, the chief, and other department heads, and they’re running out of money at this time.”

Both Tatum and Roberts agree that a budget needs to be passed and changes can be made later on if needed.

Mayor Tatum says if the board can come to some sort of an agreement, he’ll call a special meeting on this matter.