The Common Council vote on the 2010 city budget will be postponed until this Thursday Dec 3rd. Reason? To give our unions one more shot at negotiations with the Mayor as we head into the final hour.Last night's meeting, was a headache in the making. As it sits, homestead property owners will likely see a 3.5% increase in what they pay in taxes next year. You will also find fewer police, fire and DPW employees on the job starting January 1st.
Regarding police layoffs, the PBA had a special vote among their membership where the overwhelming defeat of the deal was handed to the Council. If today's negotiations with the Mayor yeild no changes, the two options are all we have to chose from. If the PBA resorts to the current offer, they reinstate most of the officers slated to be cut.The Council already accepted their proposal last week in hopes that the membership would see the value of keeping their brothers employed. Now we wait and see what transpires during today's rehash with the main office.
It was nice to see the 50 off duty officers come in to show support. They know we are faced with some difficult decisions and they are one of the three groups facing this dilemma as we head into the worst financial situation in recent history. There have been small offerings from the Fire Dept but nothing from CSEA. So much for saving jobs in the city.
The Council, during the Budget/Caucus Meeting managed to scrounge another 100K from different sources, but that it. The really big issues like eliminating failed offices, shifting departments to the county and cutting the City Bus "financial black hole" out like a cancer, we left off the table. Looks like the "Friends & Family" operation will be intact when I leave the Council December 31st.
The move to reinstate the Rec leaders was important. The Mayor's budget decimated that department, and for no good reason. Well, outside of personal reasons. You've heard the saying...Without Recreation; there's Probation? It looks like the Council has taken that concept to heart. And just in time.In the year to come, expect the Council to take up the issue of trash collection, moving Human Rights and Civil Service to the county and maybe the brilliant idea of letting UCAT take over our city routes. Who knows. I'll do my best to help with those efforts so that the taxpayers can support the programs more centrally needed in the city.
Meanwhile, Ill see whoever shows up tonight, Thursday and maybe December 15th at the final meeting of "The Madness" at City Hall.
24 comments:
The PBA has refused the deal so what more can be done. It was an overwhelming vote by the PBA?
When the highlight of the evening is the Pledge of Allegiance, you know there's a problem.
The Alderman have to take there jobs more serious as they are responsible for the budget also.
Mike,
Is there a reason that failed departments were not cut? Is that something the council can recommend? Eliminate Economic Development, keep Mr. Finkle as the grant writer if he wants it (at a much lower cost)
Also, 2 Senior Operators at the Water Treatment plant? Explained by the DPW boss that it was a 7 day operation it was neccesary, then fine, keep one and cut the other to part time, or train a lower ranking person there to do the job and eliminate it altogether.
The Council needs to grow a set.
Seems to me that the Alderman should be considering shared services, for example City Bus can be consolidated with the County.
It must be intense winding down on your service with the City Council and getting ready to sit on the UC Legislature - during such a rocky time. Thank you Mike. NS
Kingston is going down the toilet, and all the council did all summer was argue about a stop sign or street light. The PBA did the right thing not giving in to the demands of the City. Bob Senor let the cat out of the bag. The council is trying to strong arm the unions. Put off your problems until next year. That all you are doing. CSEA has it right. They are the poorest of the 3 unions and have nothing to give.
mike, are you saying that even with the "agreement" between the Mayor's office and KFD there will still be layoffs? if so, its not line that both parties have been spewing over the last few weeks.
please enlighten us.
I understand a new agreement has been reached between the KPBA and the Mayor which retains all of the expected cut positions and starts the process of dispatch merger. Is this true?
If so, will this push the budget vote to tonight rather than Thursday?
The loss of jobs will now be relegated to just us CSEA members. The push to find new leadership will now commence.
The real question is, why are we paying union dues when this is the way our union treats us?
shame on csea if you dont help then i dont feel sorry for you you reap what you sew (greedy} gets you unemployed make sure your leadership buys your food and your kids gifts at xmas what a disgrace you are
Here is my prediction.. there will very few layoffs in city of kingston! Landi has admitted that he is fibbing to get the unions to reopen thier contracts. Stat tuned...
Hey Mike -
If you get a chance and are of the mind to, please check out my innovative ideas [I think you would like at least some of them] regarding the leaf bagging / potential fine situation...
http://www.flingingtowardsthesun.blogspot.com
NS
Just so you know, I made corrections over yonder --- and added a Kudos (well deserved, I think, in this instance!) for Mayor Sottile...
NS
why do we need polic dispatchers when we have a county wide 911 system. Also, one of these dispatchers gets pick up every day for work by a mark kpd car why is that?
CSEA LEADERSHIP (GREEDY-GREEDY-GREEDY) they dont represent what the members want just thier greedy selves because they know they wont lose thier jobs they want that 3% and the hell with thier bothers and sister union members shame on you
It really does seem like the Bankruptcy option is the way to go. It will move all the self serving greed out of the way. That includes Unions, Friends and Family, as well as the politicians. Moving the game, if not directly, at least indirectly back into the hands of the taxpayers thru the arms of a state public audit. After the mess we have made of our finances and continue to make we deserve the discipline and the temporary status as wards of the state. No pun intended but a real fresh start and new beginning...smitty
Most csea members DO NOT want to open up contract, only the few that are being possibly layed off do. When we start opening up contracts we set our selves up to being duped into giving back what has already been negotiated. CSEA represents the poorest workforce in the city, there is nothing left to give!
People must wonder how "smitty" and I manage to live with each other (lol...)
But I need (for what it is worth) to say this:
I am (in contrast to my husband)...
As of this am...
After having studied the issues, listened to all parties with equal attention, attending a good number of the budget related meetings, taking a lot of notes, doing a great deal of research on my own, submitting my ideas (as a concerned citizen) to the Council, etc...
Absolutely 100% OPPOSED to the Bankruptcy option.
NS
Today is Thursday and tonight is the council vote on the budget. KPD apparently settled its issues with one layoff and other changes amounting to $600,000 sliced off the budget. If that figure is correct, then if this council cannot save most if not all of the 15 jobs at DPW, laborer jobs, the meat and heart of DPW, and then go forward to work on issues in DPW as they should have been worked starting years ago, then Kingston only deserves to be called a Town or Village--not a City.
you just proved my point about csea as long as i keep what i have the hell with the members that are getting layed off ( UNION) MEANS TOGETHER UNITED AS ONE A TEAM / AND THERE IS NO I IN TEAM
Is there a revised budget to review before your vote tonight?
At 6pm we have a "special" Council meeting called by the mayor for some budget housecleaning.
Then we huddle back in the committee room to hold a Finance meeting to finalize budget plans, then back to the chamber to resume Tuesday nights meeting and vote for the budget.
Long night ahead.
Good news 12/4:some good ideas were implemented. Bad news:14 layoffs in DPW.
What's that "giant Schupping sound?" It's the sound of snow and ice NOT being picked up!!
Guess Phil Cosme will have to get out there with his shovel in the middle of the street. LOL
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