Here are the highlights of the Mayor's proposal that she says is "evolving:"
-1.76M reduction in BOE's proposed increase
-4.99% tax increase [correction: 4.9%]
-3.7% increase in "Town-side" Budget
-3.3% increase in BOE Budget
-2.5M from undesignated
-1M from the internal service fund aka "medical reserve"
-1 cut data entry clerk at DPW
More details to follow.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Mayor's Budget; 1.76M From BOE Proposal
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20 comments:
A 4.99% tax increase is DOA. And she has the gall to send the BoE back to the drawing board? Her budget is just as bad. Good luck trying to sell this one to the overtaxed people of New Milford. I’m sure they won’t be buying it!
I agree that it will fail if this is what is eventually presented at a referendum but you must remember that there is a significant tax increase even without the "Town-side" or BOE Budgets because of the loss of revenue. I think that number was close to 4%!
Then spending must be reduced.
That data entry clerk will save a bundle. Someone wants to get rid of someone. I will not support eith budget.
The Dow Jones 30 is DOWN 7% this year. Oil just hit $100 a barrel. New Milford wants another 4.99% increase.
Where do they expect the tax payers to get this?
It is time to say NO!
Jay:
Does the cut at DPW actually impact anybody or is this an unfilled position?
Given an average annual property tax bill of around $6,500 in New Milford (including real and personal property), a 4.99% tax increase equals a $325 tax increase. Politicians will try spinning this as “only $30 more per month” or something like that. But it won’t work. Taxpayers understand they’ll be paying almost $7,000 per year, or about $600 per month, for all those wonderful services the town government provides them. Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they’re being ripped-off?
So, with her jam-packed budget proposal, the mayor is saying that the government is running at 100% efficiency and there’s no waste to be eliminated from the current town and school budgets. Not only that, but she needs to spend 5% more next year to maintain the town’s perfectly efficient government bureaucracy and government-run schools… Wow, anyone who believes that stand on your head!
The mayor has been in government too long and it’s obviously affected her common sense. She’s now officially part of the problem…
SRB said...
Jay:
Does the cut at DPW actually impact anybody or is this an unfilled position?
February 19, 2008 10:12 PM
Yes there is a living breathing person at that desk.
Jay said...
I agree that it will fail if this is what is eventually presented at a referendum but you must remember that there is a significant tax increase even without the "Town-side" or BOE Budgets because of the loss of revenue. I think that number was close to 4%!
February 19, 2008 9:55 PM
Does that mean that anything less than 4% will mean a monetary loss to the town without any more reductions, or can it be made up other ways. Can you please explain this better for those of us who don't understand this type of thing?
DPW has a part time data entry clerk that was cut. It will hurt the department alot the problem is when any position is cut it takes a LONG time to get that back. So its not a 1 yr problem. The work thats done by that person has to be absorbed into the already busy dept so some things will slip threw the cracks. Some how it doesnt seem to matter though. Seems like the town is taking a hit so hopefully she makes the BOE take one too. I dont get when the town says there in such great financial stanbding but still cut a job. That makes no sense to me. Ok what does the part time person make $20,000 a yr? Dont see the point and services will be what is effected so remember taxpayers if they are you know what happened to cause it.
The amount of the tax increase that is being proposed is ridiculous. How is it the mayor can think that this is a good budget when the cost of living only went up 2.3%. The elderly that live in the town can not afford the never ending increases that seem to be put threw every year. And that doesn't even touch the poor or the middle class. They have to work 2 jobs just to make ends meat. The mayor needs to look at ways to cut spending even more. Because of the way things run in this town there is no way that people live myself can ever return home. We have to move away from our place of birth not because of better paying jobs but because of the cost of living in New Milford.
Ms. Murphy, Ms. Paddyfote, Ms. Diamond, et. al. seem unwilling or unable to make the tough decisions required of their positions. Based on how New Milford is currently being run, the country is in real trouble if Hillary gets elected.
I still firmly believe that if zero-based-budgeting was used as a tool this could be cut even more...especially on the BOE side.
Hillary first needs to be the candidate.
When is New Milford finally going to elect a mayor who cares about the town's hard-working citizens and knows how to lead? The political partisans at the DTC and RTC obviously have no idea what qualifications and leadership traits it takes to be a successful mayor.
New Milford's mayoral track record has stunk over the past 17 years and it looks like were heading for an abysmal record of 4 for 4 failed mayors in a row.
Look at the "smoke and mirrors" in the mayor's budget:
Without the $2.5M from "undesignated fund balance" and the $1M from the "medical reserve fund", there's an additional $3.5M in taxes that would have to be raised. These are just the obvious items, so there are certainly more to be found.
Of course, these balances prove that the citizens of New Milford have been overtaxed in the past, but instead of spending this "extra" money, the mayor should return it to its rightful owners as tax rebates.
Dear,tax payers. If half of the town worker's did thear job we could cut the other half. that would save you all a lot of money.
Dear,anony mous.
I work for the Town and I thank you for your input.
I will present this theory to half of my coworkers.
I didn't much like the other half anyway.
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