December 17, 2010

City plans to 'hold the line' on spending

With state aid cuts likely and the economy still sputtering, city leaders are eyeing a multi-year approach to budgeting in hopes of minimizing the hit on property taxpayers.
The veteran head of the city’s Board of Finance, Rich Miecznikowski, said he told department heads to try to put together spending plans that aim for a freeze.
“Basically, we’re saying ‘hold the line,’” Miecznikowski said.
City Comptroller Glenn Klocko said the city needs to take a multi-year focus because at least two years of large state deficits are looming.
A budget kickoff session with city leaders and department heads was held Wednesday to provide everyone with some basic guidelines of what to expect and how to proceed. The entire City Council even showed up.
Miecznikowski, whose finance board drafts the proposed budget, said that with state cuts likely, supervisors are going to have to justify any requests for spending.
He said that in trying to limit the hit on residents, “Everything’s on the table. We have to come down very low” in terms of a possible tax hike.
See the whole story here.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who are they kidding they gave all the raises out and this is holding the line.

Anonymous said...

They have no choice but to start with cuts.

Anonymous said...

This guy "Miz" is a joke. Albeit we could have worse.

Holding the line on spending is WAGE FREEZE. Even the radical state employees are doing such.

Steve Collins said...

9:42 - Miecznikowski has no role in salary negotiations. The Board of Finance doesn't have a say in what wage hikes city workers get.

Anonymous said...

Why are they waitingh until now?

Where have they been ,on vacation?

Anonymous said...

ice skating rink, however temporay, is not increasing spending?

Explain how please.

Anonymous said...

Steve:

You obviously never experienced the BOF Chiefs of past.

Anonymous said...

Stortz wouldn't be so bad after all; of course Klocko and Mize wouldn't like it.

Steve Collins said...

10:46 -- Hmmm.. let's see. Before Miecznikowski, there was Allan Plourde, whom I knew well, and John Letizia, whom I also knew well. And I also knew LaMothe some but not well.

Anonymous said...

Anyone notice that the city, not including Education, ran a DEFICIT last year?

Does anyone on the city council and BOF care?

Anonymous said...

Bristol has big trouble more so when art comes back.

Anonymous said...

Bristol's biggest trouble is people like you 6:14 PM. Why not give us all a gift and stop making your negative, barely literate comments until after the New Year? Think of it as an early Christmas gift to the rest of us. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Where are the Republicans on this?

Where is the conservative Republican Party