 |
| May 05, 2024 |
Welcome! Click here to Login
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Click to visit the
Official Town Site
|
|
|
|
|
|
General News: Proposed Village Budget Trims Costs
January 13, 2009
The mayor of Cornwall-on-Hudson introduced a pared-down budget proposal Monday night at the village trustee meeting. The proposed 2009-10 budget anticipates a 1.8% drop in revenues and expenditures from the current year. As introduced, the budget would see the tax rate fall three cents per thousand, from $8.37 to $8.34.
While a public hearing on the budget will be held on Wednesday, January 21, where many questions will be answered, a discussion about the cuts to the police department’s budget sheds light on the board’s fiscal concerns.
Police chief Charles Williams asked the board to explain how it planned to cut $36,000 from his budget, including $16,000 in salaries. He noted that a crossing guard’s position had been cut, saving the village $8,500, but said he didn’t know how other savings could be made without cutting an officer.
Mayor Joseph Gross said that some savings will come from a cut in gas and fuel for police and the sale of one of the department’s seven vehicles. Chief Williams, who said he had not been consulted by the board, argued that the extra vehicle reduces wear and tear on the entire fleet.
Trustee Rick Gioia reminded the police chief that the village can’t lose sight of economic reality and trustee Barbara Gosda said it has to live within means.
The police department is not the only one facing cuts. The proposed budget includes $27,550 worth of cuts for the Storm King Fire Engine Company, including a phase out of a part-time mechanic who maintains the fire department’s truck. Under the new plan, that work would be done by employees of the village department of public works (DPW).
Another cost-saving measure included in the budget involves scaling back the cleaning services for village offices, including the DPW and the fire department, from weekly to every other week.
Comments:
|
Let me get this straight, we cut a crossing guard, which at first sounds good because I am assuming a police officer will now cross the children. Ok, so now the police officer gets a call and has to leave ... who crosses the children? Also, what makes the DPW so qualified to handle all these jobs in town? We count on these fire trucks to make it to the fires, now the DPW employees will maintain them???
How nice of Rick to remind the police chief that he should live within means. So when Rick needs the police, they should tell him - "sorry" we were out of gas.
posted by D P on 01/13/09 at 12:10 PM
|
|
Maybe DPW employees can act as crossing guards. This way the board can cut even more money from the police budget. As a matter of fact, maybe DPW can respond to domestic incidents, motor vehicle accidents and criminal mischief complaints. That would save the village a bucket load of money. I mean, am I the only one to see how logical it is to cut funding for essential services such as law enforcement and fire fighting?
posted by Frank Vido on 01/13/09 at 7:10 PM
|
|
I would have to agree with the Mayor and Board on a disposal of a police vehicle maybe they could purchase a motor scooter for the warmer weather to save on gas and they sure are stealthy in scouring the neighborhoods.
posted by john buescher on 01/14/09 at 6:46 AM
|
|
The only thing worse than budget cuts in a down economy are governments which think they don't have to and can just raise taxes to compensate for an eroded tax base.
It's the natural order of things. When times are good, taxes flow in and budgets get expanded. When the party's over, belts get tightened.
And the party's indeed over. If the Mayor and Trustees didn't make all the cuts they could, they would justly be criticized for not doing their jobs.
They were elected two years ago to get us out of the financial mess we were in then. Despite the financial winds turning against them, they're doing their best. They should be both saluted and supported in the effort.
Keep up the good work for Village taxpayers!
posted by Jon Chase on 01/14/09 at 11:32 PM
|
Add a Comment:
Please signup or login to add a comment.
|
 |
|
|
|
