A new budget
plan floating around City Hall would freeze property taxes this year but not
without some real pain.
The spending
proposal would lay off 44 municipal workers, close the Manross branch library,
cut park programs in half, ax Dial-a-Ride and cut off funding for everything
from the after graduation parties to the Mum Festival.
The plan was
prepared by the city comptroller’s office in response to a query from city
Councilor Ken Cockayne about what it would take hold property taxes in check
this year.
To pull that
off, the city would need to reduce its proposed $177 million spending plan by
$6.5 million, officials said.
Topping thelist of proposed cuts was a 50 percent reduction in the salary of city
councilors, from $9,700 annually to less than $5,000 – a symbolic step that
probably couldn’t be done because officials only have the power to set council
salaries for those chosen during the next municipal election.
Also eyed
for cuts are the code enforcement and community services allocations, both of
which would be eliminated completely. Click here for the full story.
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