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Editorials
A special, informal Town of Lancaster work session was held last night to determine whether budgets cuts could be made to the tentative 2010 budget. While meeting with department heads and requesting they “sharpen their pencils” and come back with budget cut ideas (if possible), the four council members agreed to forgo their budgeted 2% salary increases.
At the recent Town Board meeting Council Members Ronald Ruffino and John Abraham called for the special work sessions based upon what they said their constituents were telling them while they were knocking on doors during their campaigning for re-election in November. They voiced that homeowners loved the town provided services, but were complaining about the tax load. Ruffino spoke on a media report on home foreclosures and spoke on people losing their jobs, not getting salary increases and having to make sacrifices.
Council Member Donna Stempniak opened the meeting by stating that the board had been remiss over the years in not setting down with the department heads, the budget director and the Supervisor for the purpose of having a formal budget review. “But we are at a critical time when we have significant revenue reductions in sales taxes, the mortgage tax and interest return on savings, and where our retirement and health care costs have significantly increased. Because of contractual obligations, the town controls just a quarter of the taxes; if not less.”
Stempniak, Ruffino and Abraham made it clear to all department heads attending the meeting that they are requesting they look for ways to cut their budgets, if possible, and without their not being able to perform their jobs. They voiced that they did not understand every line item in the budget that they didn’t want to micro-manage, but that they were looking for ways to reduce the budget. They said no decisions would be made at the meetings, but that they wanted the department heads to think about their budgets and get back to Financial Director Dave Brown with possible budget cuts.
The council members declared they knew that there were salary and contractual issues that could not be touched but if there were one-shot things in their department budgets that could be cut from this year’s budget they should consider it. They reviewed and requested department heads to consider cuts in equipment/office/contractual supplies, furniture, etc.
Supervisor Robert Giza cautioned that if “the budget was to get too dangerously out of whack, it’s going to affect us down the line.” Giza added that he could have used more reserve money to lower the tax rate increase. “But that’s not the right thing to do. What was put in the budget was done so that we could operate our government in a manner that best serves and protects our residents.”
Several department heads were not happy with having had budget cuts already made to their departmental requests and having to hold this hearing at the 11th hour in the process. It was at this point that Stempniak declared: “I know we can’t do anything with contractually set salary increases, but Ron (Ruffino), John (Abraham) and I are willing to forgo our 2% budgeted salary increases (approximately $350 for 2010). Dan Amatura agreed to do the same if he remained on the board.
Supervisor Giza responded that such action would result in the budget being reduced by a fraction of a penny.
Highway Department
Echoing Supervisor Giza’s earlier concerns about cutting the budget too far, Deputy Highway Superintendent Lou Cacciotti cautioned against cutting his department any further. He had put in for three more laborers and was denied. He wanted another snow plow on the road because of having an added ten miles of road to plow. “The faster you clear the roads from snow the safer it is for the public. I was denied the extra snow plow. We will clear the roads, but it will take longer and cost more because of overtime.” He spoke on needing the extra people to work on needed road repairs and the more than normal drainage issues that have occurred.
Council Member Ruffino interjected that Cacciotti’s budget was lean but that “we have been a generous board in the past, but people who pay the taxes are asking for fiscal responsibility; to see no tax increases with the economic crisis as it is. The people out there are hurting.”
Cacciotti replied, “I understand what you’re saying. They came to me this year and said that we have to save a ton of money; to back off on a lot of things, things needing to be done. There are roads to be paved and if you don’t do these roads this year, you are two or three roads behind next year. And we hear next year could be as bad as well. So, you’re going to chop this down again. So now the road system is deteriorating and doing repairs at a later date is going to cost a bundle. You can’ do every road, but you have to keep up. Look what happened to the county.
Wednesday evening the following departments faced the inquisition:
• Police
• Town Engineering
• Building
• Justice
• Bingo Inspector
• Law
• Clerks’ Office
• Highway
Comments
As someone who used to be involved in department budgeting, I found the work session very informative and very interesting. Can department cuts be made without concern for future needs that unexpectedly arise? All department heads that attended this meeting believed there are line items in the budget where cuts could be had without concern that their operations would be jeopardized.
Any savings are welcome regardless how small. Why hasn’t this process been utilized for years? Or, considering this is an election year is this is nothing more than political grandstanding?
Council person Stempniak declares 25% of the budget, or less, is controlled by the town. Does that include the four contracts the town just awarded that cover all town employees? You know those contracts that made possible those 2.5% - 3% annual raises over the life of the three-year contracts.
And I am sure everyone will be wondering whether the other elected officials and department heads will follow the example set by the council members and decline their salary increases. Spread the wealth, spread the pain!
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