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2010 Budget Discussion and Public Safety

Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Council
Forum Description: Discuss individual members and council as a legislative body.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2270
Printed Date: May 15 2024 at 1:10pm


Topic: 2010 Budget Discussion and Public Safety
Posted By: Marianne
Subject: 2010 Budget Discussion and Public Safety
Date Posted: Nov 04 2009 at 4:18pm
I thought an interesting aspect of the City Council meeting occurred yesterday in the interlude between Chief Botts' and Chief Schwarber's budget presentations. 

I don't know how the meeting ended, but there appeared to be some desire on Council's part to a. restore the budgets for fire and police to 2009 levels - both reflect cuts in from 2009 to 2010 currently, and b. consider offsetting this cost with a street light assessment that was estimated to possibly bring in $600,000. 

This latter suggestion came from Mr. Schiavone, but not all council members agreed with the idea.



Replies:
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Nov 04 2009 at 6:51pm
I found this little interlude interesting for another reason.  It once again represents the City trying to put a band-aid on an arterial bleeder, that being the Public Safety issue and how to pay for it.
 
The hocus pocus with the Street Light tax and moving money from the General Fund over to Public Safety or propping up the Public Safety Levy however they are going to do it is a temporary fix at best. 
 
Middletown is going to start drawing down it's reserve fund over the next 3 year from 25% to 15%.  I figure that gives Middletown about 2 years to come up with a plan to at least keep Public Safety funded at 2010 levels.  The budget for 2010 has already been worked on and I would run with that for now.
 
The fact that the Public Safety fund represents 70% of the general fund is the norm for many city's.  What is not the norm is the fact that Middletown has declining tax revenues from income and property tax.  Middletown is loosing jobs and population.  Middletown is not gaining new residents that make up the Middle income bracket to pay the taxes to support the city.  Middletown is not attracting big businesses.  Poverty in Middletown is growing.
 
Does anyone know of a major project coming to Middletown in the next 2 years that is going to produce 1000 jobs with incomes averaging $60,000.00 to makeup the $1,000,000.00 in lost tax revenue?  Is the city keeping such a project under wraps for now?  I doubt it.
 
The city needs to start now, working on a plan for the Public Safety issue, to fund it or restructure it so that in 2-3 years we are not facing a disaster in trying to maintain Public Safety without drastic cuts or a huge tax increase.  As far as a Tax increase, I don't se that in Middletown's future.  They need to think outside of the box on this matter.
 
This should be a priority for the new Council and the City and they can't take their sweet time doing it like they did with Section 8.
 
Think outside the Box folks.  Outside of the Ivory Tower downtown.
 

Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Nov 04 2009 at 7:10pm
Well, Pac, after January 1, we will have FOUR councilmen, a majority, who have unequivocally stated that do NOT believe that council members should be on boards, commissions, and that like that report back to or advise city council, and we have TWO that STRONGLY stated that NO meetings of council take place outside of regular council meetings (even though I have provided PROOF POSITIVE that they do) so from the first of the year on, ALL city business will be discussed right in front of the TVMiddletown cameras for all of Middletown to see!

So even though I noticed that Ms. Gilleland said at the last council meeting that the “Finance Subcommittee gave direction” to staff regarding the budget and the rainy day fund (how they did this since they never met, and even if they did meet, they HAVE NO SUCH AUTHORITY--ONLY CITY COUNCIL HAS SUCH AUTHORITY) we should start RECALL proceedings if we don’t see action to END such conniving at the FIRST meeting of the year!!



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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012

Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Nov 04 2009 at 7:20pm
Marianne--if you remember, we both sat in a board meeting where Major Hoffman, Mr.Marconi(Council liason) stated that the Public Safety Levy would guarantee no service cuts in either the police dept. or fire dept. for five years. This statement was initiated and also substatiated by City Council through Mr.Becker and used to "sell" the levy.
Here we are--not even three years later.........................
 
In today's economy the choices are amazingly simple and mirrored in every aspect of the business world. It all comes down to which do you prefer--concessions or layoffs?
 
There is no more tax revenue coming in.
The east end promises have proven hollow so far.
The retail business community has collapsed.
For every mid-wage level job we gain, we lose approx. three.
White collar professional job creation has been non-existant.
There honestly aren't any realistic plans for growth downtown or in the Town Mall area(or in between). Yet our close neighbors are doing much better.
Our schools are over-built,under-populated and at the bottom of every ratings list imaginable.
Short of a fire sale, you can't get any value for residential or business property.
 
How does Council/Admin keep their promise and the trust(lol!!) of the citizens?
 
Oh yeah--the sun will come up tomorrow.
What moron recently said that?

Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Nov 04 2009 at 7:42pm
My, my!!!  All of that...PLUS a terrible CRIME WAVE in the Highlands Historic District!!!  Woe is us!! 

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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Nov 04 2009 at 8:04pm

Spider
If they think that no changes will be needed such as concessions or layoffs of employees in the next five years here in Middletown they are just plain crazy.

This load is breaking the back of Middletown as tax base goes down down down..

Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Nov 05 2009 at 7:46pm
The question is which Public Safety Dept. would be a prime candidate for restructuring and could it be done?

Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Nov 05 2009 at 9:53pm
       This is a very important discussion. I ask you all to remember that citizens were warned (2007) that the Public Safety levy was going to do little more than give current and retroactive raises. That's all it has done.
I ask everyone to please consider that we must make bare bones cuts (very difficult) and get back to essential services (Public Safety, Infrastructure and Economic development) or it will break the back of the city. If we do that we will be ready when the turn-around comes in 5 to 7 years. I hope I'm wrong but thats the view from 50,00 feet above. Our grandchildren won't be able to pay for it.
       Paul Nagy

Posted By: transplant
Date Posted: Nov 05 2009 at 10:12pm
public safety is so important that i would keep only one person in the economic development department and add an officer.  economic development is important but the e.d. director can still focus on it for the city.  as little an impact on police, the better. 


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