Mayor Asks Council for $1.4 Million Budget Cut

Council Approves Cut at Tuesday Meeting

Story Updated 8:00AM, Wednesday, February 11, 2009

– Allison Goldsberry

Mayor Michael McGlynn has asked the City Council to approve $1,436,971 in budget cuts to this year’s budget following a cut by that amount in local aid from the state.

Last week Mayor McGlynn asked School Superintendent Roy Belson to cut about $500,000 from the school budget, and the Council reviewed just under $1 million cuts made to the municipal budget during its Tuesday meeting.

According to a document provided by City Councilor Paul Camuso, the following cuts are being suggested from the municipal budget:

Assessors – $5,656
Building – $41,519
Board of Appeals – $4,200
Board of Health – $21,999
Bonds and Interest – $35,000
City Clerk – $7,599 (City Clerk, $4,950; Registrar of Voters, $1,999; Legislative, $650)
Office of Community Development – $1,350
Community Development Board – $1,300
Council on Aging – $11,960
DPW – $212,242 (Highway Division, $169,817; Park Division, $16,725;
Forestry Division, $15,700; Cemetery Division, $10,000).
Electrical – $62,616
Environment – $4,559
Executive – $17,100
Golf Tournament – $10,000
Historical Commission – $150
Information Technology – $7,181
Insurance – $250,000
Law – $14,701
Library – $65,650
Police – $86,000
Police salaries – $30,000
Procurement – $1,859
Treasurer – $4,900
Trust Funds – Stabilization – $5,000
Veterans – $1,430

In total, the city’s 2009 budget was cut from $132,038,298 to $130,601,327.

The Council met with city department heads before their meeting on Tuesday to discuss the cuts before approving them at the meeting. 

City Councilor Robert Maiocco has served as a councilor for a couple of decades and he said he has never seen such a tough budget in all his years on the Council.  Councilor Stephanie Muccini Burke said though there were lots of “tough choices” on the chopping block she was glad no one had to be laid off with this round of cuts.