Originally Posted by
andreahaxton
Lackawanna mayor vetoes budget, but council may override
By Jay Tokasz
News Staff Reporter
Published:July 7, 2012, 12:00 AM
Lackawanna Mayor Geoffrey M. Szymanski has vetoed many of the changes the City Council made to his proposed $24.4 million budget.
But it remains unclear whether those vetoes will withstand a council override.
The council voted June 9 to cut the mayor's budget by more than $800,000, saying the city couldn't afford spending on proposed new hires in public works and the police department.
Szymanski fired back in a recent veto message, saying the council changes to the budget would hamper the city's ability to provide basic services for residents.
The council, which voted unanimously in favor of a $23.6 million budget, could address the mayor's vetoes during its meeting on Monday.
The five-member council can override the vetoes, as long as four members vote that way. Otherwise, the mayor's vetoes stand.
The mayor said his proposed hires in public works and the police would have restored those departments to their full capacities.
The city's public works department, in particular, is short on staff, said Szymanski..
He mentioned that for two consecutive Mondays the department didn't have enough people working to pick up recyclables.
"I see what we need," Szymanski said. "We are light on manpower."
The mayor's budget amounted to an increase of $1.2 million over the current budget.
It would collect fewer dollars from city taxpayers, while taking advantage of a New York State offer to advance the city $2.6 million in state aid for the coming fiscal year.
Lackawanna is one of 13 cities statewide being offered early payment of Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) funds.
The $2.6 million is not additional state aid.
The state simply will provide the money to the city earlier - enabling Lackawanna to avoid using any of its fund balance to pay for items in the 2012-13 budget, according to the mayor.
But council members dismissed the state's "spin-up" as a potential future budget land mine for the city.
"This is a risky and perhaps even irresponsible proposition," the council wrote in a letter to Szymanski.
Council members reduced that revenue line item to $6.3 million, instead of $8.9 million.
In a letter to the council explaining his vetoes, the mayor said he hoped to resolve their differences amicably and adopt a fiscal plan that is "both responsible and which will enable us to meet our obligations."
The city's 2012-13 fiscal year begins Aug. 1.