The City Council’s Budget and Appropriations Committee will conduct a public hearing on the budget tonight at 6 in City Council Chambers, 45 Lyon Terrace. Here’s your chance to speak high or low about the budget.
The council committee could possibly cast a budget vote late next week on Mayor Bill Finch’s proposed $520 million spending plan that calls for a tax increase of about $400 for the average homeowner. Last week, a state legislative committee restored some cuts proposed in Governor Dan Malloy’s budget that represents several million dollars. This means the projected tax hit, if the restored funding from the state to the city holds up in the state budget process, will not be as high as anticipated.
The council’s budget committee, led by co-chairs Sue Brannelly and Angel DePara, has been interviewing department heads and reviewing the mayor’s budget proposal the past few weeks as it prepares to offer its own spending plan. Once the council votes on the budget it goes back to the mayor for possible veto action. The council will set the mil rate in June for the budget year staring July 1.
Headed to that meeting now with hopefully a five-minute talk. Will post with Lennie later as well as with all Council persons. Thank you to the handful or two of taxpayers who have gone to hearings and listened to the weak interrogation of folks by Council people who are really unfamiliar with a watchdog role. They are much more comfortable treating it as storytime and learning their lines. Perhaps the B&A should spend money after an RFQ to get regular, systematic, intelligent and trustworthy assistance. Time will tell.
Yawn!
So were you there, BlackRockGuy? What have you contributed to averting a tax increase? Been attending meetings? Reading up on the facts? Passing petitions? Writing the Mayor? Contacting Council members? Just curious.
*** Well even though I arrived late it really didn’t make a difference since there was only about a dozen citizens in attendance at the budget’s public hearing this evening. Wonder what exactly the B&A has come up with to help curtail the tax and mil rate hikes on the Mayor’s proposed budget. The public won’t know ’til the meeting where the entire council votes on the tweeted proposed budget (maybe). ***