Final Budget mtg 4/10
We had the final meeting tonight for the 06/07 operating budget. As usual, the big question was the education budget. But there were other items discussed, such as reinstating Mixville lifeguards. And we adjusted some other items in the budget. The one thing that left me a bit perplexed was the seeming lack of support for reducing costs. Other people may have a different take on this, but it seemed as though David Schrumm and I were the only people talking about specific budget reductions (unrelated to education). Actually, as I think about this, Elizabeth Esty also talked about some specific budget reductions.
There was one suggestion for a general reduction, but no specific line items were suggested. I understand this approach with the school budget, but does anyone feel this is appropriate for the Town budget?
Finally, if the numbers stand as currently proposed, the Council will adopt a budget which increases spending by, I believe, around 4.3%. And, due to a lot of good fortune on the revenue side, a tax increase of, I believe, 1.9% or so. Nonetheless, I still think we could trim spending further. And as I've been saying, I think the Pool is the perfect place to start. I'll have to see if I can garner any support tomorrow for reductions in spending on the Pool.
Tim White
Town Council, Budget Committee
TimWhite98@yahoo.com
6 comments:
With all due respect, you are a big critic of the BOE for it's lack of attentiveness to budget matters. Yet from your comments, I do not see that the TC Budget Committee has acted much differently. Too bad. Based on Connecticut's financial outlook, I do not expect the "good times" to last for very long. This would have to be regarded as a lost opportunity.
Are you saying that based on my comments here, I'm being inattentive to the Town budget? If so, perhaps I could better explain my concerns with the BOE budget.
One thing I find frustrating about the budget process is the lack of information about adjustments to the budget that have been proposed or made by the town council. There are many vague allusions to specifc budget reductions or changes but no mention of the specifics (amount, department, line item, etc). It is hard to believe that the council will vote to adopt amendments to the budget without informing the public of the proposed changes. And it is insufficient to think that because the proceedings were televised, the public was adequately informed. Operating this way leaves no time for people to consider the proposed changes or to generate support or resistance to the changes. Consequently, citizens are effectively locked out from influencing the final town budget.
There is still no change to the fundamentals of how they budget is completed. All of the cuts from the BOE budget are cuts from proposed new increases. Nothing from the existing operational budget. Almost the entire amount of 881k the Supt asked for in his medical benefits line item has been removed, with no reduction in fixed or variable costs to the medical benefits costs. Why si there refusal by the Administration to have a second opinion on medical benefits? Why are other Towns now separating their medical benefit plans into municipal and BOE? The reason is significant cost savings.
Last night the Supt easily removed the extra $157k for the new teachers he said he needed. All of a sudden there is no need for them. Wonder what the people who supported the Supt and the new BOE are thinking today. We needed the teachers last week, this week no need. Must have been some "new" information just discovered in the hallowed halls.
Let's recap:
We needed the teachers, now we don't.
We needed $881k more for medical, now we don't.
What we need is a Business Manager for the School System that reports to the Town Manager. Let the Supt do whatever a Supt is supposed to do. Let the Business manager run the financials. One person cannot be the CEO and the CFO at the same time.
Is anyone taking action about the dangerous bad repairs in the northbound lane of Rt 10 prior to Cook Hill Rd? Looks like someone fixed a water line or something and left a mess in the road for all of us to drive over. Who is accountable for fixing this mess?
anon 7:41pm... I'm following up on the roadcut. And please feel free to email me directly about such concerns. Following up on this blog is starting to take quite a bit of time. And while I always want to follow up on such questions... I certainly wouldn't want to miss one and not get you a response.
My guess is that if it was a private contractor that made the roadcut, the state DOT will need to followup with the contractor.
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