Late this week the City Council’s 7-member Budget and Appropriations Committee will make alterations and vote on Mayor Joe Ganim’s $565 million proposed budget see here that calls for a modest tax cut in an election year.
Lots of questions. Will they add money to the flat-funded education budget in lieu of a tax cut? Will they mess with any other departments such as public safety? If they reduce or eliminate Ganim’s proposed tax cut will Ganim veto it?
The full council is scheduled to vote on the capital plan–expenditures for goodies such as infrastructure projects–Monday, 5:30 pm in chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace. See schedule above.
The final public hearing on the budget will be Thursday 6 pm. By the weekend the budget committee will vote the spending plan to the full council for a vote no later that May 7. Once that occurs the mayor has up to two weeks to issue a veto on the council’s adopted budget. May 28 is the last day for the council to vote on the mayor’s veto.
The mil rate will be set early June for the budget year starting July 1.
Ganim enjoys strong veto power so if the council alters Ganim’s proposed tax cut far beyond what he’s promised taxpayers he’ll likely veto it. For instance, in a recent letter sent citywide to constituents Ganim declares “The budget that I presented successfully includes a decrease in taxes, for the first time in twelve years.”
You think he’s gonna come off that pledge? The tax cut average is about $150 per household. The overall cost of the tax cut is about $4.5 million. Sentiment exists with some council members to add part or all of that to school spending. Ganim won’t care if the council adds more money for schools provided they don’t mess with his cut. That means they’d have to find some savings elsewhere. The largest pot of dough to leverage, however, is from the tax cut.
Still to be heard from in this budget process Ganim’s reelection rivals State Senator Marilyn Moore and State Representative Charlie Stallworth. They’ve been relatively circumspect weighing in on Ganim’s budget document. That could change, if so it sets up a potential municipal versus state legislative dichotomy. If they criticize Ganim for shortchanging schools, Ganim will counter what have you done to lobby more education dollars in your elected capacities?
To Ganim’s way of thinking taxes, public safety and development rise above education as core issues, something that gnaws at school advocates.
Opponents can pick apart other parts of the proposed budget to resonate with voters, but given the financial outcry from school advocates this could be a flashpoint debate this election cycle.
a $100 decrease in my taxes? really?? that’s not enough…
Mayor Ganim is saving $150 per household in taxes. Mayor Ganim, do something that isn’t politically expedient, keep the taxes the same and move that $150 per household to the school budget that which you have consistently underfunded under your leadership.
Don, that’s a start, now he can layoff all of those political appointees and they raises he gsve out. He could show real leadership my taking a 10% pay cut along with his department heads.
So there’s no more money for the education budget, no money to fix the sidewalks, but there is money for raises to Ganim and his handpicked staff of political loyalists. That makes about as much sense as tits on a boar.
The way the proposed tax cut has to be explained to voters door to door and in mailers is as follows:
Gsnim”s proposed tax cut would save your household $150.00 per year, or $2.88 per week. A $200 tax cut would save your household $3 84 per week. A $ 250 savings per year would save your household $4.80 per week.
Will this election year gimmick substantially improve you and your families lives after Mayor Ganim passed the largest tax increase in Bridgeport’s history 6 months after he was elected on a “STOP Raising Taxes” platform in 2015?
It is critical that we never vote for a lieing politician. When we continue to vote for a lieing politician we are teaching that politician they can lie, continue to lie and get away with it. We embolden that lieing politician. Do you agree?
Can I count on you to join me in not giving your precious vote to unethical, dishonest and lieing Joe Ganim?
Great! Circle that 1 or 2 on your walk sheet and keep at it. 🙂
Tax cut this year,next year we get nailed,same shit every cycle.
Obviously Ganim2 has decided that increases in education dollars for public schools is a State responsibility and not his to work towards, to plan for, to make a priority of the DTC and State delegation, NOT JUST NOW, but for every month of his incumbency. Where are the numbers a thoughtful Office of Integrity and Accountability might use in City press releases to highlight problem areas or show advances from focused policy and taxpayer dollars?? How much power is too much power in a Mayor’s hands when actual progress is not recorded and made public month and quarter of every year?? (How many readers keep track of their modest wealth without goals, timelines, and hard numbers?)
Capital projects suffer the same tragedy in the City as evidenced by the Public Facilities garage fiasco. Original bids, plan revisions, expense overruns, leading to a complicated story that undercuts understanding and public trust. And the labor deals that get settled are not even conceptually shared previous to their conclusion three years late, for instance. And the budget is released without the impact weeks later contemplated? And the Mayor releases his letter to taxpayers, with a tax cut emboldened in print, but nary a comment about four years of City funding of public schools. Not even half a truth, I’d suggest. Time will tell.