No-one needs to be told that the Common Council is faced with severe staffing cuts, diminished funds and a population saddled in the middle, with our Mayor, the Unions and the Department Heads bickering in the press and the Blogs.
What hasn't been discussed is whether certain offices and programs can function with fewer personnel and funding. I think we need to look at the impact to our "quality of life" issues as this budget matures.Our Recreation Department has been decimated by these cuts and the Clerks office will be in deep crap if we don't restore a few needed dollars. And frankly; what we see in the level of Police protection and the expected cuts in that department, scares the bejesus outta me.
The fighting between the Mayor and the Fire Department, I'd rather let them fight that out amongst themselves. There are issues there that need to be settled in court and I'd rather all of us Aldermen stay out of that one.However; there is promising news from the CSEA situation (City Hall & DPW Employees). Continuing negotiations between the Administration and the Union, may yield some movement that might actually help employees and taxpayers. We'll watch and see.
As for the tax rate...remember the 10% rate increase is not what you pay. It's based on your assessment and the expected 8% decrease in residential property set for 2010. The diminished value of your home is what caused the high number in the first place; even with a 0% budget increase. The average property would see a 3.5% increase out-of-pocket at the current rate.What concerns me is the expectation of additional sales tax revenue slated for 2010, which comes from the projections coming out of the county budget. I think the County estimates of a $26Million increase in sales tax revenue is artificially inflated, so we are likely to have funding issues by this time next year.
(We get a percentage)
Get ready to float another Revenue Anticipation Note this time next year.
18 comments:
Bart Robins is taking a leadership role and bucking the higher ups in CSEA. His plan of voluntary furloughs of 8 days for each member is great. That is the same as giving up the 3% increase and means real savings. The only problem is that there is no guarantee of where that money will be spent.
We will soon see if the members are really behind giveing up there raise or just hidng behind there union.
Mike, Did you see how many people are behind in their property and school taxes in the Daily Freeman a few weeks ago? I hope the council is not putting a lot of weight in collecting taxes to meet the city budget. If what was posted in the paper for last year is an indication of how our local economy is existing, I am afraid of what will be for this coming year. To expect that money to come in to cover line items would be folly.
Why do we have 2 asst. superintendents 1 street foreman and 2 labor foreman for 60 guys. After losing 15 DPW workers that leaves 45 men for 5 supervisors. Plus there will be only 18 laborers left after lay offs. Three foreman for 18 laborers???
The arogant firefighters need to be taught a lesson. How can they take the retirement incentive knowing that those jobs are not going to be replaced, then grieve. Who does Tiano think he is Robbins from CSEA.
What scares me, is leaving the "consultants" in the budget. If you don't know how to do your job, you shouldn't have it. That's about 350k+. Get rid of them and the people who use this service. Hire people that know what they are doing.
As for Steve Finkle and the Economic Development, get rid of them too. He hasn't done a damn thing for this city except cost all of us. Today in the Freeman, he was touting ferry service to Rhinebeck. That is a great idea, but what are you going to Ferry? Section 8? Drug Pushers? How's about the Gangs?
If we had the Sailors Cove, and all the other projects that were SUPPOSED to happen in the works and I mean "in the works" not on paper, this would be a great thing for our area.
About our "reduced" population. If you think that illegal immigrants, the Bloods, Crips and the other gangs, the drug dealers are going to answer a door for a Census worker, or answer the questionaire every 10 years you're wrong.
This city has about 2000-3500 unaccounted residents.
save the rec dept or you will have to increase the police dept make the fire dept cut the fat in thier dept tell the aldermen its time to get some back bone
10:17...Being you're on the outside, I don't begrudge your issue with consultants. Aldermen, Administrative employees and City Hall groupies know what role they play in each department for the workings of the City. Don't expect the Freeman to elaborate on their impact either.
As for the population exodus, you are spot on regarding the illegal immigrant factor in the diminished numbers. Only a few thousand didnt answer the doors back in 2000, the number has grown significantly, here in Kingston and County wide.
It's an underground economy that we will have to deal with soon. Not just the impact that undocumented workers have on the job market, but the impact they have on the services they utilize locally. Services financed by the taxpayer.
Well....the only thing we need to look at is will this city council have the cajones to say to this Mayor enough is enough we will put your budget on a more solid footing without first cutting necessary services?
Last year it did not happen...this year we are only hearing about "negotiations"...yadayadayada the clock is ticking-- get on with it. And someone better oversee the budget starting in 2010 on a quarterly basis otherwise you will have a crisis atmosphere and the attendant circus atmosphere that goes along with it each and every year at this time.
Mike, it's not just the Fire Dept that has to trim the FAT or FLUFF, but all departments should have to. That includes the Police Department. KPFF uses the same radio frequency as KPD, but they pay 100K more for their lease than the fire department. What ever happened to the frequency they were using before NYCOMCO brought their service to Kingston? Well, the radio frequency is still in operation at police headquarters...except the "mind set" is why drive a Volkswagen when I could drive a Cadillac? What do you think id be driving - because the Alderman will give it to them. I say revert back to the old system it still works! The tax payers have been paying to keep it maintained, then once we are over this hardship bring it back to the negotiating table.
Thats $100,000 plus savings. Would you rather have less cops on the street with a fancy radio frequency or ALL the cops on the street with the very radios they have been using probably from their inception? I'd rather have the cops on the street. Nuff said.
Paying the YMCA to take over the programs for the Rec. department is wrong and the price will start out low this year then go out of control once they are locked in.It happened with the Library tax!!!
Mike don't blame the illegal immigrant for this mess. they come to this country to do the jobs the Americans don't want to do. for less money too. at restaurant farms and more. They're better the some politician for example the Mayor and the other clowns.
Robbins plan will never work. He is just trying to kiss a little butt to get out of a jam. The members hate him and wont sign on to any plan he comes up with.
Why do we have a subcontractor overseeing the treatment plant on the strand and, also paying not one, but TWO senior plant operators to oversee 7 people??!! One senior plant operator is all we had for many years until recently. Then Allen Winchell, the Mayors next door neighbor was "premoted" to the "second" senior plant operator which makes NO SENSE at all. I just read the paper yesterday about the cronyism in the healh dept. under Dean Palen, is that the way we are gonna continue to do business here? The senior plant operator position pays $52,000.00 plus benefits per year which is the highest salary in city contract. We do not need TWO to oversee 7 workers!! Then to add insult to injury we have a SUBCONTRACTOR overseeing the plant operations as awhole, which is absurd! Oue city engineer is licensed lets get rid of the added expense of subcontactor out of sewer budget and right that wrong once and for all!
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/11/22/blotter/doc4b08c6ce1378e286880550.txt
This city is getting worse!!
Mike how much money does the sewer tax bring in we never hear about this money? And why is the sewer tax more then the water bill, it started out they said, what water came in the house has to go out the sewer, but now more seams to be going out than is coming in WTF???
Please remember the Water Dept is selling water to Town of Ulster Residents.
Not a bad idea, but what was the the total collected on it.
There was also an "emergency" line set up across the old bridge in case Port Ewen had another problem with it's water.
Is Alderman Landi serious in reference to yesterday's article? He is really way out of line on tjhis one, maybe he should remember where he use to work.
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