City Councilors Counter New London Mayor's Budget With Two Proposals

Two city councilors have offered ideas for restoring budget cuts proposed by Mayor Daryl Finizio in the 2014 fiscal year budget.

Council President Michael Passero and Councilor Adam Sprecace each presented proposals at Monday’s Finance Committee meeting. Both proposals reduce the proposed school budget increase and replenish funding for several departments that were cut in Finizio’s budget.

The committee voted 2-1 to have Finance Director Jeff Smith reform the 2014 budget along Passero’s proposal to allow the Finance Department to review the numbers. This review will take place prior to a special City Council meeting on the budget next Monday.

Finizio’s budget of $81,016,213 approves the Board of Education’s request of a 2.5 percent increase to the New London Public Schools to bring it to $40,814,666  It reduces the municipal budget 2.5 percent to $40,201,547. Under the proposal, the mill rate—or tax per $1,000 of assessed value—would increase 3.09 percent from 26.2 to 27.42.

Finizio's proposal included a number of major cuts to departments, including a $1.4 million reduction in the New London Police Department, $500,000 reductions to both the New London Fire Department and Department of Public Works, 50 percent reductions to the Recreation Department and Public Library of New London, and defunding of the Senior Center. Finizio said such cuts were necessary to offset anticipated shortfalls in the state’s municipal aid and other revenues.

Department heads said they would have to lay off employees and curtail services to meet this budget. Police Chief Margaret Ackley said 20 police officers would have to be laid off to stay within the budget proposal, while library director Suzanne Maryeski said the library would have to reduce its hours and programs. At last week’s City Council meeting, several residents advocated for retaining funding for senior and youth programs. 

Sprecace numbers

Sprecace’s budget proposal would increase expenditures by $273,130 to $81,289,343 and revenues by $273,619 to $81,269,832. This proposal includes:

• Reducing the school budget increase to one percent for a savings of $599,087
  
• Restoring $1,243,388 to the New London Police Department budget with $14,550 in additional savings from reductions to line items within the department 
  
• Restoring the $500,000 cut to the New London Fire Department and reducing overtime expenditures by $250,000 
  
• Restoring the $500,000 cut to the Department of Public Works, with $149,100 in reductions to line items within the department 
  
• Restoring the library, Recreation Department, and Senior Center to their fiscal year 2013 funding levels 
  
• A total of $1,777,826 in reductions to employee expenses including $733,824 from an unemployment compensation reserve due to the elimination of layoffs, $350,000 due to health insurance overestimates, and a reduction of the pension-defined benefit expenditure to the fiscal year 2013 fiscal year level
  
• Removing two $25,000 items for funding Sailfest and special events from the City Council budget and putting it in a contingency fund 
  

• An additional $788,789 in state revenue restored by the Connecticut General Assembly since Finizio’s proposal based on Gov. Dannel Malloy’s cuts 
  
• Reducing the school budget increase to 1.5 percent for a savings of $450,000 
  
• A reduction in unemployment costs by $458,640 
  
• A restoration of $350,000 to both the fire department and Public Works 
  
• A restoration of $250,000 to the library, $229,400 to the Senior Center, and $176,000 to the Recreation Department 
  
• A restoration of $251,629—left over after allocations to other departments—to the police department