As expected, Mayor Bill Finch’s budget proposal to the City Council calls for a 2.5 mil tax increase for the spending year that begins July 1. On Monday during the day Finch thought it was better to fill up the Connecticut Post Editorial Board and writers about his tax increase than share the news with City Council members at night.
Budgets aren’t about where they start, they’re about where they end, and this budget will certainly receive some massaging from the council in an election year. The mayor’s budget pads some areas the council can cut.
Finch has been laying the groundwork for an anticipated tax increase bemoaning Governor Dan Malloy’s budget proposal that gives the city a large haircut in several areas including historic contributions from the state’s take on slot revenue from the two tribal gaming operations and payments in lieu of taxes for tax-exempt property such as hospitals and state government buildings. Malloy, the former mayor of Stamford, has told municipal leaders to suck it up and make the hard choices.
This an election year for the all-Democratic City Council, an off cycle for the mayor who has a four-year term. The mayor’s budget proposal will have pockets of money for council members to cut in an effort for members of the legislative body to save face with voters. “Yes, there’s a tax increase but it would have been much worse.” Everyone needs cover, especially in an election year. Some council members could be facing September primaries, the key election matchups in a city nine to one Democratic to Republican.
The Budget and Appropriations Committee led by co-chairs Angel DePara and Sue Brannelly will now take the lead on reviewing Finch’s spending plan.
The council’s budget committee will present its findings to the full council. The budget then goes back to the mayor for possible veto action prior to the council setting the mil rate in June.
From the Connecticut Post:
With threatened state cuts hanging over his head, Mayor Bill Finch is proposing a 2013-14 budget that would hike taxes 2.5 mills to help fund an $8.3 million increase in city spending and a $10 million cut in state aid.
Although the mayor is scheduled to transmit his budget to the City Council on Tuesday morning, he gave the Connecticut Post’s editorial board a broad overview Monday.
In what he called the “worst-case scenario,” Finch said his $519.9 million budget would seek roughly $215 more a year from average residential taxpayers and $524 from commercial taxpayers to offset Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed cuts in state aid.
Read more here.
It is particularly galling for the Mayor to say he knows how people feel as he “only” makes $132K a year plus bennies when there are thousands of people who are low wage, unemployed or underemployed as a continuing result of the recession. When you think of the money wasted such as Finch’s PR staff or the ugly fountain across from Mickey D’s or CitiStat (if that were such a great idea how come the city is in such a state?). Corruption alone is not just the problem … look at Shelton, it is booming. There is NO one who wants to admit we have to bring light industry back from the suburbs and that includes not just the Mayor but the kaffee klatsch “reformers” who hang out at Harborview who were more concerned about massage parlors on Fairfield Ave than the lack of businesses locating here. And the businesses did not leave because of Tokyo Health Spa or any of the other establishments. There is such a thing as a priority. And as long as that is the priority of these self-appointed saviors of the city, nothing is going to change here except in the more prosperous neighborhoods.
To be fair bud, the mayor is running a pretty complex organization, not well, but he is running it. To find someone able to do that job and work those hours the pay must be there. If you think Finch is bad, try cutting that salary in half and see who gets elected! His pay is a drop in the bucket compared to the tax increase he wants this year and the one he got last year. Focusing on his pay as a cut is not meaningful. I believe it would hurt the city more when it comes time to replace him.
What about Shelton, it’s less than 1/3 the size (by population) of Bridgeport and they have an unemployment rate of 7%, that’s hardly booming … and guess what, their mayor gets $102k a year! What is the point you were trying to make?
Tokyo and all the others were conducting business illegally, that is why they were closed. For the city to put an end to that business sector is a good thing and reflects positively on the city. It was a deviation from the status quo and I am very pleased about it and so will future investors looking to take a chance in an up-and-coming neighborhood the city takes pride in by not allowing that sort of business to take place. It shows the city might be able to maintain order and law in a neighborhood known for not having any.
If you think the mayor’s pay or Shelton’s “booming” economy are the reason our city is an utter failure; or if you think outside investors aren’t being left with a bad taste in their mouths because of the obvious prostitution on our streets; or if you think the only place in the city being improved are the more prosperous neighborhoods because of the people patronizing Harborview Market then my friend you are incredibly out of touch with reality, an assumption I already made when I started writing this response to your rant. You have substituted opinion for thought, which is a terrible shame.
HansenMan,
BRG is “out of touch with reality” but never out of love with his opinions. Facts are useful if they happen to fit his topic du jour rather than as parts of a connected tapestry.
In that regard, he follows the commentaries of Mayor Finch with partial glimpses of truth. Last night as he was providing off-the-cuff (Off the wall) comments on the 2013-14 budget to come, he spoke of the increase in the Grand List, but he was having fun with us. The Net Grand List, where business and residential TAXABLE property owners are listed and against which the MIL RATE is applied to come up with your ANNUAL TAX DUE, has decreased because taxable property is not coming onto the Grand List as it is coming off (see GE and Remington for instance). However, the GRAND LIST, the total of all properties, is increasing because of new values applied to universities, hospitals and other non-taxable entities. So, it is not the work of OPED’s economic growth alternatives, but rather the efforts of the Tax Assessor’s office to keep all property values up to date, even if that does not help taxpayers when the bill comes due. Do you think the Mayor knows this? Why do you think he shared a half truth with us? Does it undercut your routine expectation of truthful commentary? Cause you to become more skeptical of anything he says? Do you think it is my problem for asking all of these questions? Or his problem of being vulnerable to questions he does not wish to ask in public? Time will tell.
His half-truths come from him being uninformed. I’m skeptical of everything he says, well … less skeptical than tired, tired of his thoughtless opinions. His comments, not by design, omit truth and conclusion. He’s unable to respond to thought here, forget about him doing it in a public forum.
Bill Finch’s budget is a job Killer.
www .youtube.com/watch?v=zpnvkga-X-g
Municipal job killing is a good thing.
First place to start is with the mayor.
Start thinking about a candidate right now. MJF and Walker and Shays and John Gomes. Hubler would be good but he has too many shuffleboard commitments.
yahooy, where are they going to be a candidate, in Fairfield?
Ron, I’m a lifelong resident of the Great City of Bridgeport. Been here since 1944. Why would I move to Fairfield?
Technically, Black Rock is part of Fairfield–for home selling purposes. It took a yahoo to get you to post a comment. Welcome back, Hubler!
Shuffleboard!? Never took it up. Not the game of choice at the Bug Light.
Actually, the meeting schedule is a bit different in that there are three public hearings. There is also a CAFR Review on April 3, tomorrow evening, two budget overview session on Thursday and then Saturday then the first of the public hearings on the ‘operating budget’ that is called the General Fund.
On Saturday April 13 there is a Capital Plan discussion, but where is the Capital Plan posted? And where is the Charter hearing or invite from the CEO for public ideas as included in the Charter?
Another Public Hearing on Monday April 22 with three more discussions scheduled before the last Public Hearing on May 7. In between are 11 hearings on a variety of departments but the formal listing is not exhaustive because I do not see on this agenda the Mayor’s Office, the City Council budget itself, Minority Business Resource Office, Emergency Operations, Parks, Airport, Golf Course, etc. I don’t think those areas have been dropped from the budget, have they?
I asked Sue Brannelly whether permission for brief questions or comments from the public would be allowed as part of the changing structure. She responded to another colleague, as if I were her child, “See, they are never satisfied.” and rolled her eyes as Sue is expert at.
Well Council Person Brannelly, you are failing in your responsibilities to your public, the taxpayers. And the Mayor has failed in doing any real cutting. And the public appears ready to spread the alarm this year and focus it on the Council. Time will tell.
The mayor can’t/won’t do any real cutting, it’s not in his nature. He’d be ostracizing his constituents, which is bad for him come election season. Buying votes with taxpayer dollars is the leftists platform. Finch is interested in re-election until the next job comes up for grabs, Governor. By not making the necessary cuts he’s investing in HIS future, not yours or mine. By not cutting the bloated and unsustainable budget he’s allowing history to repeat itself in an effort to gain popularity (votes) and instead of using that popularity to make some tough decisions, which would seriously benefit the city, he’s going to roll them over in the next election so he can keep his job. He’s a career politician, one who is not at all interested in a career change. Cut the budget? He can’t, he won’t and it’ll get him re-elected. Thanks for the leadership, Mr. Finch!
Well here we go again, the lies start. First let me address Mr. Nunn. There is no need for more fire inspectors because of Steel Point. The plans get reviewed in the fire marshall’s office and on-site inspections are done when the buildings are up. BTW Mr. Nunn, why is the new $1.2 million fire truck not on line yet? When is the developer going to spend some of his money on the steel point project?
It is going to be novel watching the B & A and the council cutting things from the budget. Here is a partial list:
1. Shut down the airport that we spend $1,000,000 to keep open for a few people to store their planes. Last year we lost $300K.
2. Get rid of CitiStat, it has become a haven for the politically connected and contributes nothing.
3. Reduce mayoral appointed jobs and cut the rest 10% in salary and benefits.
4. Stop hiring more deputy chiefs for the police department.
5. Look into selling the golf course and get out of the golf business.
6. Do we really need a $104K liaison from the mayor’s office and the BOE?
7. Please don’t take give backs from the unions. The last time Finch that all the political ass-kissers got big raises.
Let’s see if DePara and Brannelly are up to the task.
Too low a tax increase! Next year, the city will have to raise taxes again. A 5.0% mil increase is what Sherwood should be aiming for. If the Council cuts that in half, it will get the adm. where they want it to be.
I bet if the City Council voted to raise taxes by 5 mils, they (or a majority) would still win their elections if challenged …
Joel,
It is almost 2:00 PM on April 2, 2013. I just called Office of Policy and Management. They are attempting to get the Budget onto the City site and hoping to have it there later this afternoon. Another day lost to read, compare, study and reflect on the impact of the route chosen. With the current mil rate at 41.1 mils and a 2.5 mil increase announced, that already is a 5% increase.
When you see the budget, why not look at sections you know best and see what jumps out at you. Or look at the proposed budget and compare it to the current year and see how the personnel employed/vacant and the salary line (51000) are matching. Benefits? And cutting overtime when you have not controlled it for two years? Will revenue projections be reasonable? What evidence is offered?
Many of the Council members will be serving their last term come November if dissatisfied taxpayers and angry citizens become totally disenchanted with current representation. It truly will not take 20 new Council representatives to change the way the Council operates. So keep your eye on the participation of your Council member and the B&A members until they vote and on their vote regarding the operating budget. We cleared our own snow. We will have to do the heavy lifting on budget matters too. Lots of face-to-face time with the Council members in the next five weeks. Time will tell.
Taxes should not be increased at all. Just as families and businesses must stay within budgets or suffer the consequences, so too should the City of Bridgeport.
That means tough measures. Pay cuts for non-contractual employees and no union pay raises in new contract negotiations. And if that’s not enough, then layoffs.
Sick day and workman’s comp abuse runs rampant in all departments, particularly the Police department. Bring in a hard-nosed realist who didn’t rise through the ranks or is related to somebody and have them ride herd over the sick and comp time abuses in all departments.
Sell the airport and the golf course. They are luxuries a down & out city cannot afford.
That’s what a Mayor and City Council with backbone would do. But I do not expect to see that and unfortunately, they will all be re-elected.
Sell the golf course? Then how would John Fabrizi make some extra money? Did I just open a can of worms?
*** What they should cut they won’t, like making a temp non-union 10% cut across the board on “all” salaries and cuts on all city-side departments as well as O/T in general. A power-sale of all city foreclosed properties and end to city-leased sites. *** JUST FOR OPENERS ***
Finch: “I will present my budget proposal at the City Council meeting … April Fool!”
Olson: Oh Hell no. Bring on some numbers, Mayor.
NOTE: This exchange has been embellished upon by Bond Girl, applying her right to use poetic license.