Are You Smarter Than A City Bean Counter? Ghostly Budget Details

Ghostbusters

Community budget hounds John Marshall Lee and Andy Fardy, founders of Budget Oversight Bridgeport in pursuit of taxpayer financial truths, are contrasts in doggedness. Lee is professorial, expansive in explanation with a Lieutenant Columbo perseverance. He drives city officials nuts. Fardy, a retired arson investigator, prefers a direct powerwash approach. Aim hose and spray. He’s Mr. Growly of the twosome. When it comes to the perspective of government officials Fardy goes down like dry tuna. As community activists go they are the public enemies of elected officials and city bean counters in community budget oversight. They also have a mischievous side.

After reviewing the September 2012 monthly financial report from Finance Director Anne Kelly-Lenz to the City Council’s Committee on Budget and Appropriations dated December 6, 2012 covering the third month of the fiscal year, September, 2012, they observe the following:

The September report, by Charter, should have been available on October 26!

No Summary Report comparing Modified Budget to Projected Year End is provided to see if Surplus/Deficit is anticipated. This has been customary in recent years. (And the 2012-13 budget approved in May, has already been modified (increased).)

There is no narrative explanation of variances in revenues or expenses. This has been a most helpful tool to the average citizen and probably to the B&A members as well. Why has this section been omitted? (e.g. What produced an unanticipated flow of revenue through the Tax Assessors office of over $3 Million?)

There is significant change activity in full-time employee accounts and police and fire overtime accounts. What is the real story not shared with the community?

Variances in % and references to previous year are helpful.

The report is currently unavailable to the public unless a print copy is requested from City Clerk office at a cost of approximately $15 per 70-page report. Why is this report not electronically posted to the City’s new OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT website simultaneous with logging in at City Clerk office?

Lee and Fardy raise many questions about city finances. Some can be answered, some not so easily, and some require intervention from ghostbusters. The so-called “ghost” positions, jobs budgeted but vacant serve as the catalyst for an OIB budget quiz submitted by Lee and Fardy.

We are submitting our first Weekend Quiz to Only In Bridgeport. We have not provided answers to the first five questions. Those answers should be ‘no-brainers’ to OIB readers. But we ask Questions 6 and report a preliminary answer that may be news to readers. More may be revealed at the upcoming B&A meeting on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. We crunched some numbers for your convenience. Anybody for “ghostbusters?”

B.O.B. has regularly reported stories for two years that will allow you to answer the first five questions easily. What is the full answer to Q.6?

1. When does a City Mayor frame a budget for the coming year and get it ready to present to their finance board (if there is one) or to their legislative body?

2. When did Bridgeport’s Budget & Appropriations Committee of the City Council, our legislative body, study and deliberate in 2012 on the City operating budget?

3. When did they vote and approve a $511 Million budget?

4. What did the June, 2012 monthly financial report show in terms of balancing a budget? Surplus or deficit? Accurate impression? Comments by Mayor’s administration or City Council since June?

5. When has the City Council reviewed, discussed, and analyzed the current budget since May 7, 2012 based on monthly fiscal reports from the City?

6. What is special about the tardy September monthly financial report that arrived at City Clerk’s office on December 7, 2012, to be discussed at December 19 meeting, we hope?

A. There are over $4 Million of reductions to over 44 department or section budgets for line item 51000 FULL TIME EARNED PAY. There are also increases of about $386,000 in the same FULL TIME EARNED PAY line in 26 instances. That results in a net reduction of over $3,600,000. How many “ghost positions” have been cut without any announcement since September? Where are the reductions to health care expense and pension expense that relate to the personnel adjustments? And in light of reductions of vacant positions budgeted, “ghost positions,” what departmental adjustments have been made to spend the found funds?

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5 comments

  1. We are fortunate to have these two guys on our side. It is very sad to think our city government is on the “other” side of the citizens of Bridgeport, but it is.

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  2. It sounds like they (departments) are transferring funds. Budget transfer requests must be approved by the council–at least that’s how it was done when I was on it. Have you guys checked to see how many budget transfer request have been made and approved by the council? Have the budget transfer rules been changed or are they made up as they go along?

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  3. Joel and Mojo,
    You are two of the regular writers who have served the public on the elected City Council in the past.

    I cannot recall “budget transfer” requests as a routine matter added to the consent calendar after a ride through the B&A Committee. Does that mean the City Council allowed the rules to change? Or does it mean no one cares or keeps track? But regarding the $4 Million reduction in code 51000 relating to Full Time Earned Pay, isn’t that something you would want to take credit for as a positive administrative move if you were Mayor? Of course if announcing it might cause people to ask what you are doing with those funds that are reduced, and you don’t want public attention on those matters, you’d probably remain quiet, no?

    There is a meeting on Wednesday evening. Why not show up and ask the Council persons assembled? What blind trust do they have in the administration that they have allowed the elimination of an internal auditor (several years ago), do not receive full reporting on external auditor Management Letters, nor discuss the subjects publicly? What format do they use to review Monthly Financial Reports, if any? What questions are asked about the City debt position during a year? Why is there little evidence in their minutes to such curiosity? Who will ask these questions? Your property taxes are at risk. Time will tell.

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  4. *** You hit the nail on the head JML, no one cares to keep track! Budget transfers are merely things talked of from days past but rarely seen or asked for by the current B&A committee who may I add (except for a few), haven’t got a clue! And as far as the rules changing, the council wouldn’t know one way or another. Any reductions in any line items, etc. or transfers are pretty much controlled by Mr. Sherwood with a quick explanation to the Mayor or anyone else who needs to know out of courtesy. The B&A is not one of the ones that cares nor needs to know unless there’s a vote that’s needed overall. No monthly reviews or read reports ’til game time during Budget Season when the Q&A follies begin. As far as minutes are concerned, it appears most of the time City Clerks can’t find a company or anyone suitable to do the job for what they pay! As stated before, 25% of the council are city employees or have relatives who work for the city, the other 25% can’t muster enough support or votes to make any important changes and the remaining 50% haven’t got a clue nor really care; so who would I ask my questions to? *** HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL ***

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