Question on City Budget

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   According to the MJ today: 

"However, these are preliminary, and no final recommendations have been made by City Manager Judy Gilleland, which will have to be approved by City Council’s finance subcommittee as well as the full City Council in December."

"At the last meeting of the Finance Subcommittee, Gilleland was instructed to make about $1.35 million in budget cuts."

The question is why does the budget have to be approved by the Finance Committee before it can go to the Council as a Whole?  The Finance Committee is basically made up of 3 Council Members who basically get to vote on moving the budget forward or not before the whole council does.  This seems a bit odd.  

Suppose the Finance committee doesn't agree with the Budget, but the other 4 council members do and would have passed the budget or vice versa.

I would think the budget would go from the Admin to the Council for approval or denial and not wait until the last meeting in Dec. '09.  Going from the Admin to the Finance Committee for Approval them to the City Council for Approval seems to give the Budget power to the Finance Committee and not the Council as a whole.  Am I looking at this the wrong way?

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Question on City Budget Posted: Aug 29 2009 at 8:45am
	According to the MJ today: "However, these are preliminary, and no final recommendations have been made by City Manager Judy Gilleland, which will have to be approved by City Council’s finance subcommittee as well as the full City Council in December." "At the last meeting of the Finance Subcommittee, Gilleland was instructed to make about $1.35 million in budget cuts." The question is why does the budget have to be approved by the Finance Committee before it can go to the Council as a Whole? The Finance Committee is basically made up of 3 Council Members who basically get to vote on moving the budget forward or not before the whole council does. This seems a bit odd. Suppose the Finance committee doesn't agree with the Budget, but the other 4 council members do and would have passed the budget or vice versa. I would think the budget would go from the Admin to the Council for approval or denial and not wait until the last meeting in Dec. '09. Going from the Admin to the Finance Committee for Approval them to the City Council for Approval seems to give the Budget power to the Finance Committee and not the Council as a whole. Am I looking at this the wrong way?

409 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014	Post Options Post Reply Quote 409 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 29 2009 at 9:27am
	Pac...I agree. The Finance Commitee step seems totally unnecessary. Gilleland also states: “We’re trying to err on the side of time to give the employees notice of a possible job cut,” Gilleland said. A check of several department heads as of Friday, Aug. 28, indicated these possible cuts: two open positions because of retirements in the Division of Fire; an unfilled police dispatcher’s position; an unfilled planning department position; a full-time secretarial position will be eliminated and a part-time position for a victims advocate coordinator will be created; a full-time position and five part-time seasonal positions as part of the elimination of the Division of Recreation; and four community revitalization positions. This has been coming for some time and the process should have started some time ago. Simply another case of the city being REACTIVE instead of PROACTIVE!!!

Hermes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: May 19 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1637	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hermes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 29 2009 at 10:09am
	They need to start by eliminating Gilleland's paycheck,that would be a real good start. These people act as if they are running a city the size of New York. It's all just justification for a quasi job. The bad part is they don't even do the job they have. Committees,sub-committees,boards,it's all trivial. Prestige for the superficial, insolent, prolific few oaf's who think they are somebody important and have nothing better to do.
	No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !!

gemneye70 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Mar 10 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 83	Post Options Post Reply Quote gemneye70 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 29 2009 at 6:13pm
	Why is there a city manager and a mayor...do away with one of those positions. I agree that all of the committees and subcommittes are just there to justify someone's existence.