The City Manager delivered his budget message to the City Council this week. Brian Kogut, the Finance Committee chairman, has scheduled several budget hearings for key departments to present their budgets for consideration. These departments include the Board of Education, whose budget makes up more than half of the total; police and fire; and public works. The submitted budget equals a little more than $175 million, almost $6 1/2 million more than the current budget ending June 2006. This represents a 3.82% increase, and would cause our tax rate to rise by 2.35 mills. According to the City Manager, this means the tax increase on a median priced home in Meriden would be almost $20 a month, or $235 for the year. Critical cost drivers are no surprise: escalating employee benefits expense, especially in health care, and also required pension contributions; energy costs; and educational costs for our schools.
And although economic development has been healthy, and our grand list rose by almost 2%, the revenues expected are offset by less than average additional revenues from the State proposed by the Governor. Federal revenue which passed through the state to the City is also declining. The City Manager and his staff nevertheless propose a budget with little flexibility for cuts if the City wishes to maintain current services. It will be the job of the Finance Committee to see if the proposed increase can be reduced even further. The challenge every year grows harder. I invite members of the public to share their thoughts on what services could be reduced or eliminated without harming the quality of life severely in Meriden. I also would like suggestions on improving revenue, especially in terms of economic development. Feel free to share here, or come to the budget hearings. The dates can be obtained by calling the City Council's office at 630-4125 during business hours, or checking the public meeting calendar on the
City Website.
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1 comment:
Dear Mr. Zerio- Please consider the All-Day K as an investment that will pay off every year to come. We may very well have fewer special services needed in the future, fewer truancy problems, more school participation by parents and a higher sensitivity level in our fellow Meridenites of their own critical role in all of that. Let's do a really good thing- let's add education to all of our wish lists this budget period. As for cutting services, I trust you and your fellow elected and appointed officers to know the big picture and do the right thing. Thanks again for maintaining this blog.
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