The Budget
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Manager
Forum Description: Discuss the city manager administration including all city departments.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=610
Printed Date: Nov 22 2024 at 5:56am
Topic: The Budget
Posted By: VietVet
Subject: The Budget
Date Posted: Oct 20 2008 at 6:55am
According to the Journal article today, there will be no position cuts in the city government. They will retain the 398 positions for 2009. The only position cuts made were part time parking control employees. I thought Ms. Gilleland was working on downsizing the positions in the city. What happened to that, Ms. Gilleland? 70% goes to police and fire protection. 70%!!!! A whopping $207,493 is going to street repair. That won't make a dent in money needed.Looks like they'll keep patching. I noticed the city revenue basically comes from income taxes, property taxes and other sources including "miscelleanous". Wonder what that is? Also notice that the 09 budget is more than the 08 budget by $883,221. This, from a city that has precious little money to begin with. The city's "carryover fund" is at 7.19 million. How much "carryover" does the city have to keep and could some of this "carryover" be diverted to the streets? Gee, it sounds like the city should start generating more money in the property tax, income tax categories by making an effort to attract decent jobs in here, but alas, we're losing Billy Murphy, our favorite "go-getter" who we know, was just on the cutting edge of attaining many job opportunities. 2009 promises to be more of the same old futility.  
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Replies:
Posted By: .308
Date Posted: Oct 20 2008 at 9:39am
| Two options for the city: Increase their revenue or lower their expenses. To do neither is just asking for trouble. But wait.. Perhaps they can save a dime when the next Bill Murphy starts out at a lower pay step... Ok all good now. |
Posted By: John Beagle
Date Posted: Oct 20 2008 at 10:03am
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I agee, more positions should be cut at the city.
I don't think it would be that hard to cut 10% off immediately, then look for additiona cuts after the dust settles.
But that just isn't how government works. Less revenue never results in job loss like it would in the private sector. ------------- http://www.johnbeagle.com/" rel="nofollow - John Beagle Middletown USA News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio. |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Oct 20 2008 at 12:03pm
| I agree, more positions need to be cut just as they are being cut in the private sector. I also find the 3% raise per year for Unionized employees excessive in these economical times. If non-unionized people get 2% sam for Union. If the Union wants to go to arbitration then once the arbitration is done time to layoff some Police and Fire. If the City does not get its number 1 expense under control it is finished. |