Taxes and Fees
Mayor’s response to Depew budget tax increase, a classic example of government transparency
By Lee Chowaniec
May 4, 2008, 20:33

This past week, the Depew Village Board adopted their 2008-09 budget. The $12.31 million budget apportions $11.63 million into the general fund and $565,694 in the sewer fund. While overall budget spending increases by 6.1, the tax levy increases by only 3.1 percent.

Although the board used $200,000 of reserves to offset a higher tax increase (surplus), the board has quickly built up a $700,000 reserve fund left by the previous administration to $1.49 million.

The two largest budget expenditures continue to be health benefits and public safety. Retirement benefits, insurance and other related costs were up from $2.64 million to $2.67 million – 1.1 percent.

The total expenditure for police, fire and other personnel related costs rose from $3.09 million to $3.27 million – 5.8 percent.

Before paring down, the initial budget was estimated around 8 percent.

Mayor Barbara Alberti responds to critics

Village of Depew Mayor Barbara Alberti responded to critics who chided the board that the budget could have been further reduced by eliminating the police department and on their using $200,000 from the surplus fund.

Alberti informed those in attendance on the following:

The year has passed quickly since our new administration took office, but our work began well before Election Day. Each day is a learning experience for all of us.

At the last Village Board meeting a resident criticized me regarding the proposed tentative budget for the 2008-2009 Fiscal Year. While I feel that comments of concern and criticism are part of government, it is also imperative that all of you are aware of the full picture.

This same person attributed a statement he claimed was made by me and I quote “I asked the mayor what her vision for Depew was and she said she didn’t know what her vision was.” I would like to state that I never recall him posing the question and I most definitely would have not answered him as he claimed.

Do I have a vision of what I would like Depew to be, definitely! Then reality sets in and you come to realize what your limitations and priorities must be. The only remark that is imbedded in my memory is that this same person prior to election told me that I would have to go on record and say that I would cut taxes if I wanted to be elected. This I refused to do, we had no idea what we would find if we took office and I was not going to jeopardize my integrity to make the statement he wanted.

But I will tell you what our Election platform included and where we stand on those promises:

Keeping the Police Dept. in Depew.
Reducing the Village Board to 4 trustees.
Ending selective Code Enforcement.
Improving maintenance to Public Buildings.
Combining certain job titles.
Ending the “friends and family” hiring practices.
Creating a Village Board that shows respect for its constituents.
Providing essential services with an affordable government and keeping spending in line with the rate of inflation.

Let me tell you where we stand on those promises.

Police

We promised to keep our police department and we have. While the Police Dept consumes 1/3 of the Village Budget, the consensus of residents is that they want their own law enforcement due to their quick response time when needed. This is an important issue for all of us.

Our detective bureau works cooperatively in conjunction with other local police agencies. They have been successful in apprehending and making arrests in 11 of 11 bank robberies. We are fortunate to have our own crime lab, headed by Detective Steve Lehman who has assisted other police departments in processing information and with his help, solved the murder of a man in West Seneca that ended in the apprehension of three individuals from the Rochester area.

Downsizing Board

A big issue of our campaign platform was downsizing the Village Board from 6 trustees to 4. We worked hard to bring this issue to the front of our campaign and were successful with a referendum vote by village residents. Voters approved it by a vote of 961 to 122. In March of next year when the terms of three trustees expire, we will only be electing 1, along with the position of Village Justice.

Code Enforcement

We promised to end selective code enforcement and we are doing so. Village ordinances were made for everyone, not a few.

We hired a new residential Building Inspector, Paul Walter, who has begun the job enforcing the basics, like citing homeowners who do not have house numbers that are visible from the street. Seems like a small issue unless there is an emergency and the police or fire dept. are trying to locate a home.

In addition commercial properties are being cited for violations of property maintenance. We are cracking down on the amount of portable signs that are displayed within the village, the expansion and maintenance of salvage yards and commercial property owners that do not conform to zoning laws.

We amended and adopted an open burning law last summer, adopted storm water legislation to cut down on water overflow and run off from commercial properties, and are currently working on legislation that will address solid waste and pods.

Improving maintenance to Public Buildings

Our first days in office found us visiting all of our public buildings. What we found were structures and facilities that had not been improved or maintained over many years. We started in the Municipal building with a thorough stripping and cleaning of hallways and floors, along with a fresh coat of paint in offices and connecting hallways.

Recently all three-fire halls and the Electrical Building were painted and in the process we saved more than $20,000.00 with the help of Fire Chief Peter Michaels. We accomplished this by using inmates of a correctional facility.

Our Electrical Dept. staff also installed new lighting at the fire halls with matching grants from NYSERDA. We are currently working with Wendel Energy on implementing changes that will result in energy savings making the buildings more efficient to operate and more comfortable to work in.

Problems with the exterior entrances to the Municipal Building are also being addressed.

One of our most satisfying accomplishments has been the centralization of our Disaster Preparedness team at the Municipal Building with the help and expertise of Jim Nusall and Art Domino.

Our purchase of a new generator with the capability of providing electricity to 200 homes now enables this team, composed of the Disaster Co-coordinators, Fire chiefs and Village Board to operate out of one location should the need arise. We have the capability to utilize the Senior Citizen Center for a shelter and all government offices will be fully functional. Smaller generators were relocated to the Dept. of Public Works and the Electrical Dept.

Ending the “friends and family” hiring practices

We put an end to the practice of patronage jobs by interviewing all applicants for positions. Interviews were held for positions ranging from part-time recreation attendants up to and including Village Attorney and Prosecutor.

Where possible, we hired individuals from within the village if we felt they were best qualified for the job. In instances where we hired outside the village it was because those people were best qualified. Our prosecutor resides in Cheektowaga and our Village Attorney is from Lancaster.

Providing essential services with an affordable government and keeping spending in line with the rate of inflation

We have reduced spending by streamlining staff. We combined several positions that we felt were not warranted and in the process saved taxpayers over $165,000.00.

Upon taking office we inherited a proposed budget that had to be adopted within 3 weeks and that proposed using $200,000.00 of the fund balance. We trimmed the budget, restored the fund balance and had a truly balanced budget.

In 1995 there was a fund balance left to the previous administration of over $2.5 million, when we took office there was just over $700,000.00. So to me that was a huge accomplishment after only 3 weeks in office.

This year we initiated new revenue sources by raising parking tickets from $10.00 to $25.00, for which we realized a $35,000.00 increase. Recreation fees were put into place or increased, as well as Central Purchasing for office supplies. The estimated fund balance as of May 31, 2008 is $1.485 million so we can afford to use $200,000.00 this year for the Budget.

Providing essential services with an affordable government and keeping spending in line with the rate of inflation.

The final promise of our platform is to show respect for our constituents and those we continue to fulfill. Village Board meetings are the place for citizens to come to address his or her questions and concerns.

Prior to the start of the business portion of each meeting I give a synopsis of what your Board has done, meetings we have attended, projects in progress. No more secrets. It is my belief that you should be kept informed. We are there to work for you.

In addition for the first time, committee reports are given at each meeting.

Other

The Senior Citizen Center was and continues to be an area that needed attention. Membership was down and there was a need for new programs.

I personally took over the Senior Center, organizing activities, initiating new programs, providing celebrations, reorganizing and cleaning their kitchen facilities, planning day trips and writing a monthly newsletter.

New furniture was recently purchased, as well as a DVD player, and next month the gymnasium floor will be refinished. The month of May will also signal the beginning of a Health and Wellness class. Senior members are participating in a community project by knitting winter hats, scarves, and blankets for the needy. This is their means of giving back to the community.

Also, in an attempt to get some tax relief for Depew residents in the Town of Cheektowaga, a request was made to meet with Town officials to discuss the possibility of them taking over our Building Dept. I attended the meeting with my village administrator, Mayor Szymanski of Sloan and representatives from the Town of Lancaster. After discussion among the group, it would have cost Depew in excess of $100,000.00, more then $70,000.00 more then we now expend for Inspectors. And that did not address the portion of the village that lies within the Town of Lancaster. We will continue to work for relief for you.

Major problems at this time are a consent order to upgrade our sewers. We are currently involved in discussion with Erie County concerning the possible takeover of our outdated system. We will not take any action until we are confident it is in the best interest of our residents, and of course the $ savings has to be clearly spelled out for us.

Another major concern is for a former village landfill located behind our Dept of Public Works, The site includes approximately 20 acres and was operated between 1940 and 1961. An incinerator was operated on the site and the resulting ash was disposed of at the landfill. Heavy metals and in particular lead, were concentrated in the residue. The DEC proposals for the cleanup ranged from $2 to $9 million for proposed remediation. They now recommend a proposal that would cost us $2.3 million.

Other areas of concern are abandoned homes, there are presently about 8 in the village.

Bridges on Transit Road: Deputy Mayor Hammer and I met with representatives of Congressman Higgins shortly after taking office regarding our concern of the structural integrity of the four bridges.

We also met with officials of the Town of Cheektowaga, CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads. We spent another 4 hours with a representative from the Federal Railroad Association. To date we have not gotten any action. While many people write letters of complaints to the newspaper, they need to realize they are not under our jurisdiction, but are protected by our Federal Government.

Remedial work at the former National Lead site of contaminated soil: Work continues at this site on Walden Avenue by the DEC. Trustee Hammer, Supt. Wojick and I met recently on proposed landscaping for the site.

Why a tax increase?

Three union contracts settled just prior to election for 5 years each. We must honor those agreements. That is the plain and simple fact. That is not an excuse from me as the paper and the gentleman speaker try to imply.

Health insurance costs which have escalated between 17 and 35%.

Union grievances we inherited when we took office. We had to hire labor attorneys to protect the interest of our taxpayers.

Litigation that was not properly filed by our former Administrator/Clerk and is costing the Village to defend.

Utility costs. We have had to increase the amount for gasoline by $30,000.00 in the new budget.

An old infrastructure that was put on the back burner for way too many years. These are large issues that need to be addressed.

Equipment and vehicles that are pertinent to providing all of us with the great services we enjoy and have come to depend on from our departments. The DPW equipment and vehicles are on average 20 years old and in need of being replaced. The vehicles do not cost $40,000.00. A new street sweeper costs $180,000.00. Without it our streets don’t get cleaned and your streets don’t get paved.

We do not stand alone on the need to raise property taxes. A poll of area villages showed me increases ranging from 2% in Lancaster, 3% in Orchard Park, 4.5% in Springville, 5.5% in Hamburg upwards to 23% in Blasdell. When we began the budget process we faced an 8% tax increase. We worked hard to bring it down to 3.11%.

All of us up here buy groceries, pay utility bills, put gasoline in our cars, shop for clothing, have to maintain our health insurance and also pay property taxes. We would love to be able to say no tax increase, but that is not a reality.

Your Federal and State lawmakers pass down mandates to city and village officials, but don’t provide a means of funding them. We at this level however are the closest to the people.

This past year has been an education for all of us. We have worked hard for all of you and continue to do so. We all work well together and have received favorable responses from our community. Thank you for your attention.



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