Markeshia Ricks Photo
Paolillo: No reward for “radio silence.”
In a show of flexing its oversight muscles, the Board of Alders Finance Committee rejected new positions proposed by the mayor and put some departments’ money in escrow as it advanced the $506 million proposed new fiscal year budget.
The committee Wednesday night voted to eliminate six of the 25 new positions in the mayor’s proposed budget to insure that the city could contribute more to pensions and health care, while still funding budget priorities such as school nurses and libraries.
The committee also voted unanimously to hold back budgeted funds from the fire services, youth services and education departments in reserve and to release that money only when department heads come back with information that alders have requested. Those steps came on top of a separate vote to remove a requested $10.6 million allotment from the capital budget to supplement state money to build a new Strong School.
The amended proposed budget goes to the full Board of Alders for a May 26 vote.
The following positions were eliminated from the proposed budget Wednesday night: assistant superintendent of parks ($66,548); police neighborhood liaison ($66,935); fire director of community relations ($96,704); fair rent field representative ($37,056); Community Services Administration (CSA) data control clerk II ($37,883); and economic development administrative assistant ($41,924).
Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison said that there was just no way to add 25 additional positions and not increase the budget, particularly when the committee took into consideration the additional cost for pensions and health care. And the alders were determined not to increase the budget and raise taxes.
Those new positions also are problematic given that the city is short $263,000 in funding its fire and police fund. (Read the New Haven Register’s Evan Lips coverage of that shortfall here.)
When Police Chief Dean Esserman and Fire Chief Allyn Wright presented their department budgets a few weeks ago, the committee was cool toward the requested new positions that it ultimately eliminated Wednesday, suggesting that the positions were mere “nice to haves” as opposed to needs. East Rock Alder Anna Festa was especially concerned that the fire department wanted to use a firefighter for a $96,000 position that didn’t involve firefighting.
She repeated Wednesday night what she told Wright and Deputy Chief Administrator Michael Carter during their budget presentation: They should consider hiring a lay person whom they could pay less than a firefighter to do the job.
Meanwhile, Annex Alder Alphonse Paolillo Jr. said $500,000 of the fire service department could be released from sequestration after the committee gets an update on where the city is with overtime, which Budget Director Joe Clerkin, reported Wednesday night is costing significantly more than had been budgeted as of April, but not as bad as it was at that time last year. Fire officials predict that new hires and promotions will slash those costs moving forward.
The city would also hold on to $100,000 until data is provided about the efficacy of the street outreach worker program. Paolillo said there has been “radio silence” on requests for information about how many contacts the street outreach workers have made and what’s working. In addition to those two departments, the Board of Ed also will have access to the other half of $3 million budgeted for schools after Oct. 1, when school officials return to talk about magnet school placement.
Fair Haven Alder Ernie Santiago raised a question about whether withholding half of the school district’s funds could be detrimental to students. He ultimately supported the amendment.
The committee voted to put any increase in non-specified state dollars toward the city’s rainy day fund, and any money from the bond resale above $1 million to be used for debt reduction. Alders also voted to increase capital fund expenditures to $1.6 million for sidewalk construction and rehabilitation, and $250,000 for police body cameras.
“We’re not trying to micromanage,” Morrison said. “We’re just trying to manage. “
It would appear that the Alders are doing the job they were elected to do. It would also appear that they have no intention of being a rubber stamp for the mayor or the department heads. A refreshing breathe of fresh air is blowing through the city. The taxpayers will benefit if this keeps up.