The outlook for the City of New Rochelle taxpayers continues to be bleak. The City Manager, Chuck Strome, told the City Council on November 15 this was the “most difficult budget any City Manager has had to prepare.” The tax cap was mandated on the City with no relief from the state. Because of a dip in assessments (from certioraris) a tax rate of 6.36% is projected. The tax levy mandated at 2% along with an extra allowed 1.68% increase for pension costs, required severe cuts in expenditures. Personnel cuts were listed: 3 in the Police Department, 18 part time Crossing Guards, 6 Firefighters 2 Department of Public Works employees, and 1 from Parks and Recreation. On the other side of the ledger, the biggest increase in fees would be the Refuse fee which would go from $66 per household to $223 per year. Qualifying seniors would continue to pay $30.
In the year 2006 the fund Balance was almost $14 million, but this year the lack of any remaining Fund Balance will necessitate a great deal of caution and oversight with the City’s finances. All the proposed layoffs listed reduce the budget outlays by 5%, while the increase in the Refuse Fee for residents results in an 9.2% increase in revenue. Among other budget cuts discussed were reduction of downtown sidewalk cleaning fees to the BID (Business Improvement District), and for youth employment. No parades would be funded.
Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll commented that changing sector designations from 9 to 8 would require one officer to patrol two sectors. He added this happens now all the time when there are absences and felt this budget crisis was helping the Police Department become “smarter all the time.” When fees were brought up, Councilman Richard St. Paul commented, “I thought we were going to ask New Roc for an increase” of perhaps $150,000 in fees. Strome indicated he could still ask about this. St. Paul later commented to the Westchester Guardian that there were no cuts listed for the Mayor’s or City Manager’s offices. Overtime costs were also discussed and there was concern that the storm this Fall had caused increases in overtime pay.
Fire Chief, Lou DiMeglio, expressed great concern over staffing needs. The minimum requirement of 27 men on duty at one time will be impossible to maintain when the proposed cuts are made. The high rise buildings increase the number of firefighters needed. It was reported on New Rochelle Talk of the Sound that Byron Gray, President of the New Rochelle Uniformed Fire Fighters Association, stated that on November 17 Ladder 12 of the Webster Avenue firehouse will be taken out of service. He said that “The City is gambling with the lives of its citizens.” According to the Fire Department this will happen whenever the number of firefighters on duty goes below the needed 27 on a shift.
After this City Council meeting, Councilman Lou Trangucci told the Westchester Guardian that he was extremely concerned about the possibility of laying off 6 firefighters and 18 crossing guards. The loss of firefighters could result in a dramatic lowering of our ISO (insurance) rating. Overtime would have to be used to make up the difference to man the rig (Ladder 12). He said the “City should be fighting to keep 27 men on a shift.” Going below the 27 men threatens the safety of the people. When the December 6, 2011 City Council hearing on whether to go over the cap was mentioned, Trangucci said he had expressed concern that when through his efforts the City obtained $9 million from Avalon he had asked that it be used for essential services, instead last year they used too much of this money in the budget. Comparing the 2.84% in taxes collected last year to the 2.9% he favored which amounted to $20 per household, there would have been almost a half million dollars in the Fund Balance which could have been used this year to hold off the layoffs.
The budget hearing will be held on Tuesday December 6,2011 at City Hall.
In the November 24 issue of the Westchester Guardian