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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 07:53:32 AM
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| The mayor said people will lose their job today. What do you think, will he be letting Rav go? |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
 Posted - 07/12/2007 : 08:51:54 AM
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Wasn't he transferred to the mayor's office so they couldn't cut his salary?
Somehow, I don't think anyone is going to lose their job. I think hanlon will work around this and when he starts asking for transfers from free cash, because they know they cut in the wrong places, he'll get them. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 09:41:42 AM
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| From what I am hearing, not verified, our taxes will probably increase somewhere around $600. per home. |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 09:45:14 AM
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| I think we're in the "not worth it" category. Overall, what they cut will have an insignificant affect on our tax bill. |
Edited by - justme on 07/12/2007 6:53:34 PM |
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Court4Fred
Advanced Member
1201 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 10:19:57 AM
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Justme...I wasn't necessarily referring to "free cash" - line item transfers can occur within the budget...which means priorities have to be determined by the executive branch. He has to function within the limits set by the budget; if areas of the budget were cut that are a priority, there is nothing to stop the mayor from transferring the money from a non-essential line item. Remember - this budget was 2.5M over the tax levy, so cut did in fact have to happen in order for the city council to pass this budget. So, yes - it was worth it, unless you want the DOR to decertify the budget and have our bond rating to tumble. Moody's will watch things like being over the tax levy.
Additionally, justme – you should be aware that those department heads were in fact requested by Councilor Sarnie and DiFlorio….you can thank hizzoner for their lack of attendance after the initial hearing. Several department heads ignored the edict in order to save their departments…but perhaps the rest of them either don’t live in the city and can’t watch the meetings….or they listened to the boss. Personally and professionally, I think this city council did the best they could under very difficult conditions. You may think otherwise, justme - but the fact is that Mayor Hanlon hamstrung the budget process from the word "go."
Joey – the council has every right to see how the money is being spent and can actually ask for weekly/monthly reports from the budget director….that is if she knows how to produce them.
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 11:35:27 AM
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Court, I'm not even sure they were able to cut enough to get under the levy. I think they are real close if they did. I agree, the department heads were asked for and did not show up for whatever reason. It is much like when Joe was asking for department heads to answer questions about the forensic audit, and they never showed up. I believe these department heads are in violation of the city charter.
I also agree the city council did the best they could, especially when they had to deal with all the stonewalling. |
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Court4Fred
Advanced Member
1201 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 2:19:05 PM
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| Actually MassDee, my understanding is that this budget is under the tax levy; that was my first question after the meeting. |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 7:34:44 PM
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I have to disagree with you Court. There may have been some department heads directed not to go to the meetings, but it was not all of them.
If you go back and read the posts, my "not worth it" was in response to it's affect on our tax bills. What was cut will have an insignificant impact on the amount our taxes will increase. I am certainly aware that the budget needed to be cut to stay under the tax levy.
I know you were referring to transfers between line items. I don't however, think that is what hanlon intends to do. I expect him to try to take full advantage of the "offer" made several times Monday night by the CC that if they need more then all they have to do is come before us and request a transfer from free cash. He's proven to be less than trustworthy on more than on occasion and I have no doubt he has spent the past couple of days with his advisers trying to figure out how to get around the cuts they made. |
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Fedup
Member
86 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2007 : 1:28:48 PM
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| I heard today that the clerical union workers did not receive their raises or their 1% bonus and they won't get them next week either. I don't understand the delay seeing that the budget was approved. The contract was effective July 1st. Perhaps it is taking our mathematically challenged budget director a long time to figure out the individual raises. Granted, they will receive their money retractively, but why should they have to wait? |
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Fedup
Member
86 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2007 : 1:44:37 PM
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| OOOPS! I spelled retroactively incorrect - sorry! |
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Obvious
Member
51 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 08:49:32 AM
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| Fedup, no one received their raises, clothing allotments, or their 1%, not just clerical. Big chunk of monies will be needed to retroactively pay all the employees what's rightfully coming to them. |
Edited by - Obvious on 07/14/2007 08:53:47 AM |
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Fedup
Member
86 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 8:59:49 PM
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| There shouldn't be a problem with not having the money for any of the union members raises, bonus and clothing. Money was not cut from the budget for these items and should not be an issue. Thanks for clarifying about all the other employees who were impacted. Although, I understand that the police and fire received their money. |
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Fedup
Member
86 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 5:00:15 PM
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| The ax has fallen. Approximately 20 City employees will be laid off, the bulk of which will be Local 25 workers. The BOA and CC are being blamed for making cuts in the budget. The mayor should take a look at all the fat that he has accumulated since he took office and leave the union workers alone. How low will this administration stoop before the State steps in? |
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EverettsPride
Advanced Member
1140 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 5:56:40 PM
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Exactly, the axe should fall on all of the new hires. How do thay get away with that?
Sally |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2007 : 7:03:19 PM
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The mayor can do anything he wants................. just ask him! The majority will be union because they make up a greater part of the workforce.
Where did you get 20 employees? The union memo didn't give a number. |
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Budget
