You are in charge. You have the power. You can fillet the mayor’s proposed spending plan. We had a little give and take in a prior post about the veracity of the City Council (past and present) cutting Mayor Bill Finch’s proposed $522,966,587 budget. What would you cut to hold the line on taxes? You can go deeper than that if you want. Sharpen your scalpel. A link to the mayor’s proposed spending plan is here.
Yes, it’s a mighty large document, hundreds of pages long. If you were advising the council, what cuts would you identity to scale back spending? Under the mayor’s plan the tax hike of just under one mil represents roughly a $120 annual tax increase on the average city homeowner. According to city bean counters, one mil in the mayor’s budget represents approximately $6.8 million. So there ya go, your challenge is identifying about $6 million in cuts to hold the line on taxes.
If you want to talk to the mayor about the budget, he will host a community meeting Tuesday, 6 p.m. at Roosevelt School, 180 Iranistan Avenue.
Let every department submit budget requests minus 2.5% of last year’s budget. This would mean a savings of approximately $13 Million. Will that be done or anything close to that? No.
First I’d start with one of his body parts.
Carolanne! Like the head! lol
No need to remove the head. There’s not much there in the first place. I’d start with his legs to keep him in his office to do his job instead of going all over the place letting people know how good things are.
I keep hearing, “All of me. Why not take all of me?”
At first glance, and only a glance, there seems to be a lot of office equipment/furniture expenses in each department. Does everyone need their own Fax machine and copier? Putting groups on one copier with internet fax usually saves huge $$$. How about closing 999 Broad Street, as I recall that was mentioned in passing when hizzoner was running for mayor (and using city hall), or does everyone need their own office also? I understand there is a new position just filled as Deputy Director of the City Attorney’s office. I thought by charter the head city attorney was the top position in our city attorney office, or am I missing something? Hiring freeze, furloughs, how about every city employee, EVERY ONE, signs up for the Democrat much-loved Obamacare? That should be mandatory for every public-sector employee in my humble opinion. And what Andy said about reducing every budget by 2.5%. I am sure I can find more.
I’m in charge, right? Here’s my plan:
FIND A WAY to increase spending 10% and CUT TAXES by 50%.
Bridgeport needs permanent capital. As Bridgeport’s new ambassador, I’d solicit a $3 billion “perma-grant” that would replace tax dollars with investment income.
As investors stampeded into the Park City, redevelopment would take on a new direction and meaning–the kind we cannot anticipate.
America is ripe and Bridgeport is the place!
(wink)
Local Eyes,
Didn’t Bridgeport try this about 15 years ago? We fiddled and muddled and failed to fund public safety pensions as each year serious funding was passed over, deferred, underfunded, right? And then someone suggested why don’t we borrow the money and invest it, and when the market goes up we are winners!!!
But investment markets go down too! And it did shortly after the borrowing, though principal and interest payments are fixed and we are still paying $30 Million per year to repay money, a chunk of which was LOST.
So is a PERMA-GRANT like borrowing? Or do Grants like that require reporting what you do with the money? And where would you invest these days if it were your own money, safe, secure, liquid, good return, etc.? Be specific please, otherwise some folks will think you are serious.
I am listening. Time will tell.
A perma-grant is unlike borrowing–it’s permanent capital that enables a 50% tax cut that ties Bridgeport’s prospects to the fate of America (sounds pretty patriotic and lucrative, eh?).
EVERYBODY talks about how The Fed has been “printing money.” Let’s turn that to our advantage and assume it’s easy to identify mega-billionaires. Getting them to part with their money is difficult but it only takes one donor and Bridgeport would have first mover advantages over any other city.
EVERYBODY talks about Bridgeport’s tiny sixteen square mile size. Let’s turn that to our advantage and remind potential donors that Bridgeport is a brand-name city with limited acreage, making their dollars go further. Scarcity creates value–that’s why the ghost of P.T. Barnum will play a prominent role in this wealth transfer.
This is the short version of a longer story.
And in this “fantasy world” we are exploring, would the same governance structure apply with the same observation of rules? Because at that point we would see the income from the “perma-grant” wasted and because of poor and self-interested investing on the part of the community by politically inclined boards even the “perma” would become “formerly” and we would start again. Are there philosopher kings? Time will tell.
You seem unenthusiastic about my idea. What you call a fantasy, I call a worthwhile and realistic pursuit.
JML, if you concentrate on “government structure,” you’re missing the point. I’m talking about the kind of philanthropic firepower that makes Bridgeport ground zero for urban revival in America.
Local,
I am talking about how LOCAL people, with LOCAL mores, in LOCAL contemporary culture, and with LOCAL governance structures are likely to continue to be human.
As a Rotarian for nearly 50 years I have watched a great idea, the eradication of polio, pursued with billions of dollars in countries around the world with the assistance of Gates and others besides the Rotary Foundation. Today polio is not yet eradicated in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. Philanthropic firepower + great idea + decades = progress in the world. Fantasy in Bridgeport I am afraid unless people come together and that is more important than the philanthropist you are going to discover and bring to Mayor Finch, no? Time will tell.
Just thought of this today. Too bad no one will read it. 🙁 There are millionaire who want to help pull our acorns out of the fire. They are lined up to help. If you want their help all you have to do is wait for the next election and vote for one. We call them Republicans.
Why do people always use the useless phrase “time will tel?” Getting grant money is fine, but at some time you have to stop borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Grants come from public money local governments rely upon to pay for government uses. REDUCE the size of the government and you won’t have to go begging because at some point there won’t be any money. That’s why politicians would be bankrupt. They don’t do it with their money. They do it with your money.
OK, I am going with it is cut and slash time. Let construction companies put guys in orange vests directing traffic at road sites. Any police job that does not require a guy with a gun becomes a civilian worker under police supervision. Firefighters do not go into burning buildings unless they reasonably believe someone is inside (someone claims a person is inside or you see a person inside). Otherwise you fight the fire with the water cannon on the truck.
School sports and activities are schedules to be economical. Have then during normal school time or just after. No weekend or holiday events. Do homecoming games no one attends really have to be on Thanksgiving at double-time pay? Sports are pay-for-play. Many towns have done that. Look at what current teams can become clubs due to lack of interest. Have teachers actually use the textbooks and workbooks the BOE buys every year. Stop photocopying textbooks from years ago. Bite the bullet and update your lesson plans. Privatize the nutrition center. Almost no company or university has food services anymore. There are too many companies that do this for close to nothing. The contract company can rent the nutrition center and equipment from the city. That way if you want to go back you can.
Really take away city vehicles and sell them. Change city vehicles to economical cars as they wear out and need to be replaced.
www .eliomotors.com
They are American made but embarrassing but hey, drive your own car. You already make 100+K.
Auction off city property including all repos, defunct buildings, airports, golf courses, the crappier parks and marinas. The city is not in the real estate business. It is in the property tax collecting business. If these things are going to make economic growth they will do so regardless of who owns them and having a company who runs stuff for a living will do a better job of running stuff. The city will be free from driveway problems, a million dollar golf course running contract and redevelopment employees whose usefulness is questionable. Often these redevelopment people don’t redevelop enough to pay their own salaries. Get market rents for city buildings used by nonprofits and events including pool rentals, beaches, boys clubs, churches, clinics, etc. Taxpayers are not obligated and may not want to subsidize these things. If they do, they can donate money and take the deduction. Fill or eliminate ghost positions. New rule: if a position stays empty for two years it is automatically eliminated as ‘not required.’ Community gardens, or any other piece of property that is city owned and used by some group, must collect dues and pay the prevailing property tax as rent. Do what you want as long as you do not change the property, maintain it and the taxes are paid. Any department’s ‘leftover’ budget is returned to the city with NO penalty for next year. Stop departments from having the ‘use it or lose it’ mentality that results in wasting leftover budget money. Privatize printing, payroll and data management/tech services. Nobody does that in-house any more Close and do away with streets that are no longer needed. Someone may want to buy two lots but they are split by a street. Give the street away as long as they pay the taxes, more money fewer problems. Stop giving everyone a ‘break.’ Start acting like it is your money. No more property tax breaks for development deals. Give away everything or anything but the property tax. They (i.e. Bass Pro) aren’t doing us a favor. We are doing them a favor. We provide the costumers they make the money. Lose the BPT is a second class city with its hand out mentality. We have unused property at a good price and people who shop. It is to your advantage to come here. If you don’t think so, go somewhere else. We do not need you. It is all about attitude.
Close some of the public housing. Make them into real apartments. Cut back to those who really need the help. Sorry about this but we have to take care of us right now. So you have to take care of you. Look at programs were the feds pay 75%. The city pays the other 25%. It is cheap but not free and that 25% usually turns out to be quite a lot after you add in all the cronies.
Bravo SPY–I love it!
Good work. Lots of detail. Some can be done promptly. Others require a gut check by those in charge and then action. Likely … or unlikely … would like you to be in touch if you are willing for more conversation, 203-259-9642 daytime, thank you. Time will tell.
Used many of your examples on the show tonight regarding cutting the budget, gave you credit. Thanks.
Austerity is a poor strategy–it’s never worked–that produces nothing but lengthy posts.
Unfortunately, the gentility of socialism does not seem to be working either. Once we get on an even keel we can re-visit these programs with an eye for sustainability.
If a ship sinks and you are a lifeboat out there saving people, it does no good to save so many people your boat sinks as well. You can only save some or you add to the number of people in need of saving. The next boat will have the same choices to make. Will you be one of the lucky who get plucked from the water?
BOE SPY, I will be the one swimming next to the lifeboat.
Good, more room in the boat for me. How long can you swim? Right now, these cuts are choices. Eventually, they will be made for us. Say your household runs into a severe income vs. expense problem. You lose your job, etc. You can cancel your Internet, cable, newspaper, lights, stop buying food and paying the mortgage. Those would be your choices. If you do nothing because you plan on hitting the perma-lottery, the choices will be made for you. If you do hit the lottery your problems are solved but you’d better have a plan B that does not include burying your head in the sand.
Detroit did not get a ‘perma-grant,’ why would we? Maybe Detroit, Motown, the motor city, does not have the brand power BPT does. What will happen if we sell Bridgeport to a mega-billionaire and he evicts us? Will this become a ‘plantation mentality,’ a ‘lord and serf’ thing or a ‘company store,’ indentured servant? Do we get to vote for the billionaire or does he get to run things because he owns the place? It sounds like we will be living with our parents. No need to make the hard choices, just get some money from daddy. They did not become mega-millionaires by watching their money evaporate. As more cities have this problem, resources will become tighter. Look at the mayor’s budget: Bridgeport’s population up 2.8% while Fairfield County is up 12.8%, median household income is dropping, length of time living in the same house, dropping. I’m guessing people who pay are moving out and being replaced by people who get. I am going to predict soon we will see a negative population growth. Once this starts, the last people out are in big trouble.
Don’t you mean water taxi?
1) Eliminate the position of Mayor
2) Create the position of City Manager
3) Hire John Marshall Lee as the first City Manager
I am not suggesting this will solve anything but it will make for fun City Council meetings when JML goes down there to yell at himself.
Three sound steps, Bob. I’d add:
Sell or lease the airport.
Fund the MBR with cash, as required by state statute. Failing to do so in the 2014-2015 budget will cost the city north of $5 million, according to what I heard at last night’s BOE meeting.
Look into how much Pleasure Beach could be leased for … to, say, the Nature Conservancy … while Bridgeport’s citizens decide on the best use of that important waterfront property.
Tell the State Dept of Ed if, as its commissioner claims, there are no added costs to charter schools coming to Bridgeport for our BOE … great … then the SDOE must cover all transportation and special ed no-added costs … and reimburse our BOE for any no-added costs incurred so far. (The BOE CFO, Marlene Siegel, conservatively projects these costs for the charters schools, over the next 5 years, will cost Bridgeport BOE more than $10 million in ADDITIONAL COSTS–yes, ADDITIONAL to what the BOE expects to fund for all the public schools over the same period).
If feasible, buy a Finch-screwed-up-so-we-shouldn’t-pay-the-legal-fees-until-kingdom-come liability insurance policy for the city.
As for generating revenue … why not invite wealthy internationals to EB-5 it here? In exchange they must hire away Finch, Anastasi and Moales for special assignments (Finch could be a green adviser to OPEC, Anastasi could advise criminals awaiting trial at the Hague thereby ensuring the worst legal representation for the world’s worst war criminals, Moales could host a “Finances for Deadbeats” series anywhere bad fancy suits are available).
Well said Pete Spain–I laughed out loud at my desk!
Lease the airport to a bona fide operator. It’s an economic engine for the Bridgeport area. That will bring back commercial aviation and then tell Stratford to go suck an egg.
There is one problem with leasing the airport. It is the same difference with renting and owning a house. Also, the city would still be on the hook for the property after the lease is up. I would guess the lessee will demand the city bring the place to code and fix it up then leave the place a shambles. Get the money you can out of the place and walk away. The city also tends to make terrible deals with shady people.
Pete,
You don’t have to agree with Troll, you know. He likes opposition and suspects agreement when you answer him. You have been to more CC meetings in recent months than he has. So he is trusting hearsay and his memory, both of which prove faulty on occasion. Perhaps he has been watching archived City Council meetings with the sound turned up and that is why he hears my commentary as “yelling.” Turn the audio down Bob, and get back to cartoon shows for relaxation. Time will tell.
JML,
True! I agree with Troll’s three steps.
But unlike Troll, I actually think his steps could solve a lot in terms of city finances, planning, compliance with the charter, state and federal laws, and ultimately in terms of achieving O.A.T. in Bridgeport city government.
This would be so apropos with what someone is quoted as saying in the Wall St Journal article on Steel Point:
“YOU HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE GREATER GOOD”!
JML, it would be the greatest day in Bridgeport’s history if you were named city manager. If only we could be so lucky. I am a huge fan of all you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Bob,
I like to have fun, too. And I can laugh at myself. But last night we talked about NCAA basketball, and UCONN as underdogs (like Bridgeport taxpayers) and City Council persons with specific evidence from the 2013 audited financial report making it up as they go along, without statute, without vote, breaking their own rules, giving City funds away to charities! What would the IRS say? Absurd and therefore funny? Time will tell.
(Leaning back in his chair and exhaling loudly.) Ah, I long for the days when Bob Walsh was a City Councilman and Carolanne Curry wasn’t talking about another man’s body parts.
LE: Where does one start explaining how not cool the last part of this comment is?
Mustang Sally, start at comment number two at the top of this page.
I read it. I still don’t think it was worded well.