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Thread: Showdown looms over city budget

  1. #16
    Member andreahaxton's Avatar
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    Post Off the "NEW" City Web........

    JOYCE M. WARTHLING714 Ridge Road
    Lackawanna, New York 14218
    Phone: 716.827.6471 Fax: 716.827.6434Contact The Department
    June 20, 2012
    City Treasurer Office Hours
    Email: treasurer@lackny.com

    Monday – Friday – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Special Hours
    July & August, Wednesdays only- 9am-11:45 am

    PROPERTY FORECLOSURE LIST

    Tax Bills

    The 2011-2012 City property tax bills have been mailed to all property owners who do not have escrow arrangements with their mortgagee. Those who have not received their tax bill are urged to notify the City’s Treasurer’s Office at (716)827-6471, from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

    City of Lackawanna tax bills are mailed every year on or about August 1st, taxpayers will receive one (1) bill with three (3) parts for 1st Half City and 2nd Half City and School taxes.

    A separate bill for Erie County taxes will be sent out on or about January 15th.

    Property owners are responsible for paying their taxes on time, whether or not they have received their tax bill.



    City of Lackawanna Tax Year Due Dates
    •1st Half City Tax Due by August 31
    •2nd Half City Tax Due by January 15

    School Tax Due By October 15
    •Erie County Due By February 15
    •City of Lackawanna Fiscal Year from August 1 – July 31
    •Lackawanna School district Fiscal Year is September 1 – August 31
    •Erie County Fiscal Year January 1 – December 31

    Erie County Tax Information:
    Erie County

  2. #17
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    Post Hmmmm......

    Hmmmmm

    The radio just said that Lackawanna will be getting a grant from Schumer for $450,000 to hire " 4 " Firemen.........

    Will taxes LOWER now?
    The big budget hullabaloo was about the appr. $300,000+, OVERTIME in the Fire Department..........
    So........
    ????? Hmmmmm.....................Cha-Ching!r
    A LA Fireman attended Monday June 18th 2012 City Council Meeting......stood up and asked the Council what they were going to do about the "shoddy" renovating/remodeling work being done on Fire Station 3-South Park.
    He was told they were looking into the job.
    ?????????????

    Do you remember that the City "floated" a BIG BOND last year and appr. $1 mil was in it to "fix" all 3 of our crumbling Fire Stations?
    WTBajeepers!...........embarrassing, unsafe, and fine mess someone has allowed to happen!

    Abuse and mismanagement of PUBLIC FUNDS is what it is called!
    And don't blame the "consulting engineers"........they only do what they are told and paid for.......as usual, someone in the City dropped the ball again!

  3. #18
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    That isn't the only thing that is shoddy or half assed. Have you seen the pavement on the newly repaved streets? With a great winter that we had they are crumbling and falling apart. I wonder if anyone has looked at this problem. What was this some kind of election year pave as many streets as cheaply as we can project? Makes you wonder.

  4. #19
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    He Who Laughs Last.....Lasts!

    Quote Originally Posted by bluethunder View Post
    That isn't the only thing that is shoddy or half assed. Have you seen the pavement on the newly repaved streets? With a great winter that we had they are crumbling and falling apart. I wonder if anyone has looked at this problem. What was this some kind of election year pave as many streets as cheaply as we can project? Makes you wonder.
    Yep!


    You r onto somethin'. blue.!

  5. #20
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    Post You are right......

    Quote Originally Posted by bluethunder View Post
    That isn't the only thing that is shoddy or half assed. Have you seen the pavement on the newly repaved streets? With a great winter that we had they are crumbling and falling apart. I wonder if anyone has looked at this problem. What was this some kind of election year pave as many streets as cheaply as we can project? Makes you wonder.
    " apart. I wonder if anyone has looked at this problem. What was this some kind of election year pave as many streets as cheaply as we can project? Makes you wonder.: "

    Everything you said is true......except one thing......IT was NOT cheap for us! They floated a $5million ( $1 mil of it for Fire Stations ) BOND to do it all!
    There is more shuffling from the right side of the column to the left than we will ever know (money).
    And there are some pretty good dancers in the orange crate......... it has been allowed to go on for a longgggg time...........I tried to expose it........and you know what happened to me!

    The new Council appears to be onto something....................

  6. #21
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    Yep the new council has some honest people on it and has nothing to lose by forcing change. They don't owe anybody anything. That's the way it should be. If you look at the 2 democrats running for the 2nd Ward seat they owe certian groups of people. Keep that in mind when you go to the polls.

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluethunder View Post
    Yep the new council has some honest people on it and has nothing to lose by forcing change. They don't owe anybody anything. That's the way it should be. If you look at the 2 democrats running for the 2nd Ward seat they owe certian groups of people. Keep that in mind when you go to the polls.
    Wasn't one of those democrats appointed by this "new council" with some honest people on it?

  8. #23
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    Nothing against Ms. Darch but she owes people for her appointment.Will that affect her decision making? Plus we still have the city/school connection due to her fiance's recent win. Ask Noman if that very same school connection hasn't influenced his decisions. If it wasn't for the polling place fiasco in the 1st Ward caused by the school board president (and with Iafallo's connections there),more than likely there still would be no 2nd ward council person. I think most constituents/taxpayers would prefer no connections that will influence decison making. Just my opinon.
    Last edited by bluethunder; June 27th, 2012 at 12:04 AM.

  9. #24
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    Post Well......

    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.

  10. #25
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Lackawanna mayor vetoes budget, but council may override

    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.
    Read the full story in the buffalo news

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by andreahaxton View Post
    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.
    It's ridiculous how they are not picking up recycling. Just like the polling places for the school board election, this just reeks of political pettiness. I hope the council overturns the veto and puts the mayor in his place.

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    Soooooooooo for two consecutive Mondays, they didn't have enough manpower to pick up recycling?

    So for two days being shorthanded, we have to hire FOUR full time employees? That doesn't even make any sense.

  13. #28
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    Post Historically.......here we go again!

    Quote Originally Posted by LAsurvivor View Post
    Soooooooooo for two consecutive Mondays, they didn't have enough manpower to pick up recycling?

    So for two days being shorthanded, we have to hire FOUR full time employees? That doesn't even make any sense.
    Lots of call-ins, go home sick---whatever's........When I was the Asst. Food Service Director for "4" years at Garden Gate Manor.........
    I had to cook...do dishes/pots and pans....clean tables and mop, to " git er' done "!

    It is either beneath them to jump in and lend a hand.....OR......is it against " Union Contract ".......

    Once again.....a ploy to play on the public's' sympathy as they reach around into your wallet!

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by LAsurvivor View Post
    Soooooooooo for two consecutive Mondays, they didn't have enough manpower to pick up recycling?

    So for two days being shorthanded, we have to hire FOUR full time employees? That doesn't even make any sense.

    Duhhh! 2 guys for one Monday and 2 guys for the following Monday. LOL Let's see how this plays out. Everyone knows its a joke. Just call cousin Tom down at the barns and make a work stoppage or make up a ploy so we get these guys hired. They never had a problem till the mayor's budget failed. Sounds like another page out of the Norm Polanski playbook. I think people expected a lot more out of this new mayor not more of the same political ineptness and pettiness. I have a question :Why couldn't the trash guys do it after they got finished with their early day?

  15. #30
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    Post I know we needed to do something to help small businesses ....BUT!

    AGENDA
    COUNCIL MEETING
    MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012
    COUNCIL CHAMBERS
    www.lackawannany.gov
    Meeting called to order/Pledge of Allegiance
    NB: Meeting being recorded.
    Roll Call: Noman, Darch, Kulczyk, Lewis, Pirowski
    Dept.Heads: Law, Public Works, Public Safety, Recreation, Development
    Hearings from Citizens:
    Approval of Minutes of special meeting of June 9, 2012 and regular meeting of June 18, 2012.
    Departmental Reports:
    1. City Compt. – AP Check Listing #42, June 14, 2012
    2. City Compt. – AP Check Listing #43, June 21, 2012
    3. City Clerk – Monthly report for June, 2012
    4. City Treasurer- Receipts deposited into general fund, June 2012.
    5. City Compt.- AP Check Listing #44, June 29, 2012
    Communications from the Mayor:

    6. Mayor Szymanski - submits his veto message together with the ordinance adopted by
    Council on June 9, 2012.
    Communications from Department/Division Heads:

    7. Director of Development - advises Council that Welded Tube USA requests the council
    make a determination of the projects consistency with the city’s local Waterfront Revitalization
    Project.
    8. Purchasing Agent – request Council authorize him to bid out for a phone system for all
    city buildings.
    9. Public Safety Director – requests an ordinance for an existing erected stop sign on
    Wilmuth at Olcott.
    10. Director of Development - requests permission to discuss the bids for the demolition of
    187 Holbrook.
    11. City Assessor – requests Council adopt list of city owned properties available for sale.
    12. City Comptroller - requests approval of Standard Work Day reporting resolution as
    required by the NYS Retirement system.
    13. Public Safety Director - requests approval to install a “disabled child area” sign at 29
    Holbrook for a special needs child.
    14. Public Safety Director - informs council of Traffic Safety Advisory Board regarding
    green arrow at Abbott & Ridge and a “no outlet” sign at Electric and Nason Parkway.
    15. City Assessor – submits resolutions regarding adjusted tax base proportions adopted at
    June 4, 2012 meeting.
    16. City Attorney – submits resolution regarding School District homestead and nonhomestead
    base proportions.
    Miscellaneous
    17. Randy Krakowski, BOYS Association - requests reimbursement fro the city for 2012
    baseball and softball season, enclosing list of registrations.
    18. Business License – Bishops Takeout, 145 Steelawanna Avenue
    Resolutions:

    A resolution establishing a 0% shift for Lackawanna School District adjusted base proportions.
    A resolution establishing a 20% shift for Lackawanna School District adjusted base proportions
    A resolution establishing a 20% shift for city of Lackawanna adjusted base proportions

    Ordinances
    An ordinance adopting the operation budget for the City of Lackawanna 2012 – 2013.
    Tabled Items:
    ************************************************** ********************************

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