Budget Books and Other Documents
Here are all the budget documents for the 2011/2012 budget year. I’m having a bit of difficulty meshing the numbers in the budget with the Mayor’s budget message.
2011-2012 Budget Additional Analysis
2011-2012 Budget Book
2011-2012 Budget Detail
2011-2012 Budget Historical Comparison
2011-2012 Budget Revenue Historical Comparison
2011-2012 Budget Revenue
2011-2012 Form 1 & 2 – New Initiatives and Revenue
Budget Preparation Schedule
Capital Improvement Plan Narrative
Capital Improvement Plan
Capital Improvement Process
Capital Improvement Program Debt Limitation
Capital Leases
Fund Balance and Mill Rate Calculations
Mayor’s Budget Message
Mill Rate Calculation
Personnel-Salary Report
Prior Year Budget Comparison
Recommended Budget Summary
Summary of Existing Debt Service
Year Over Year Tax Comparison
Taco Bell runs for the border… the East Hartford/Glastonbury border.
I’ve been noticing on the minutes and agendas coming through my mail box that a piece of new development appears to be on the way for Putnam Bridge Plaza on the East Hartford/Glastonbury line. In addition to the Arthur Treachers/Roasters Express/Nathan’s combo restaurant accompanying Shop Rite (Soft open on the 23rd! thanks Bill), Home Depot, Pet Smart, TD Bank, Cingular and a variety of other businesses, with even more on the other side of the road, it appears a new Taco Bell is imminent.
I am not exactly sure yet where in the plaza the taco bell will be located. With an application Address of 1 Main Street it would have to be in the right side of the plaza.
My hat is off to the Andreo family, owners of the Putnam Plazas. While it seems we can’t get government backed development in East Hartford that doesn’t include bottom line busting tax exemptions and property giveaways this entrepreneurial family has brought millions of dollars in development to both East Hartford and Glastonbury and improved the quality of life for all of the residents of East Hartford’s south end and Glastonbury’s north end. And all with no incentive but to succeed. Keep it up Andreo family.
The new Taco Bell received the approval of the Design Review Committee on 05/25 and there will be a Public Hearing on the application before the Planning and Zoning commission on June 23rd at 7:30PM in the council chambers. The application appears on the regular agenda for action following the Public Hearing.
A new direction for the East Hartford GOP?
Every new slate of officers offers the East Hartford Republicans a fresh chance at breaking the monotony of tax increases and land slide elections. This time is no different. The question is, will the outcome stay the same?
Back in March the party took a much needed step in choosing new leadership and at the same time put forward somewhat of a surprise decision in electing the late, long serving Councilman Don Pitkin as the party chairman. Sadly, due to illness, Don never had the opportunity to sit in the Chairman’s seat. East Hartford will miss Don Pitkin, I miss Don Pitkin.
In a decision on the 14th the Town Committee made yet another surprise decision in filling the vacancy of the Chairman’s position with Joe Kronen who serves as an MDC and Real Estate Commissioner. Joe is a stickler for process and a believer in doing things. His election, supported by a majority of the Town Committee offers a chance at renewed vigor.
Don’s council replacement was chosen on the 14th as well with the choice being an experienced student of Don’s, Pat Harmon. She enjoyed the vote of a considerable majority of the committee. Pat is known as perhaps the best there is in constituent service. I have heard her ideas and speeches and I know she has the ideas to represent the reasoned position of the prudent taxpayer on the Town Council. I have been critical of her in the past for sitting idly by and voicing no public cry of disgust and concern for the irresponsible actions of the Majority sitting aside and opposite her, despite what she may have thought quietly to herself. I believe we need that voice. We need to hear our Council members say out loud, for all to hear, what we are saying to ourselves or yelling at our TVs. I have expressed my sincere hope that this new Republican council makeup will be more effective at having its opinion heard than the vuvuzela toting soccer fans of South Africa. That is a tall order, but one which can, and should, be served.
Unfortunately there is no GOP candidate to oppose Tim Larson, former Mayor, in his re-election bid for the 11th assembly district seat. Similarly in the 10th district Henry Genga is seeking re-election unopposed. The 4th, 5th & 6th districts had nominated John Ryan to oppose Genga but unfortunately Mr. Ryan had to withdraw for personal reasons.
In the 9th district East Hartford, Manchester and Glastonbury republicans chose Dennis Brenner to oppose Jason Rojas and republicans from the multi-town 3rd Senatorial District selected Robert Gonzalez to oppose Gary LeBeau.
This will be an interesting year. I hope it’s interesting because we address issues such as charter revision to achieve automatic budget referendum and a budget cap. I hope it’s an interesting one because more 18-35 year olds get involved beyond campaign activism. It wont be too many more years before I’m not a young republican anymore and it sure feels lonely being one sometimes. In a little over 2 years I’ve seen plenty of interesting personal issues. Now I am ready to see some interesting political issues.
Closing thought… hold onto your principles. If you fall into someplace you didn’t intend to be you’ll find principles are the only thing that will keep you afloat.
Currey afraid to stick her neck out? Not on tax increases.
Mayor Currey has found herself in the news again. What for this time? Advocating a local sales tax. Is this woman mad? No… I’m afraid she knows exactly what she is doing and just doesn’t care about how if affects us average Joes (and Joans).
From Capitol Watch:
East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey spoke in favor of a regional sales tax, saying she would keep the state’s long-running sales-tax exemptions that currently exist for food and prescription drugs.
“We’ve all had to cut back services,” said Currey, a former Democratic state legislator. “In our communities, we’re doing public safety, public works, and education. That’s all we can afford to do.”
She said that Connecticut has wiggle room on the sales tax because the surrounding states have higher rates. Massachusetts is at 6.25 percent, while Rhode Island’s sales tax is 7 percent. Vermont is at 6 percent, but local jurisdictions can add another percentage point.
Just leave us alone Mayor Currey. First a 9.2% property tax increase proposal… then the $300-$400 per year garbage bag tax… now a sales tax increase!? Odd that Currey is so eager to take a leadership role on raising our taxes yet when the Governor called upon her and other community leaders to serve on an advisory board to find solutions to the state deficit problem at the end of the last year she was short on leadership saying “I’m not going to put my head out and say, ‘Chop it off,’”.
I’m fed up with these crazy tax proposals and frankly Mayor, your head is sticking out too far. I say ‘Chop it off’.
Mayor Signs Budget – Referendum Has Begun
Mayor Currey signed the budget last night opening the door for referendum on the out of control 6.8% tax increase. Budget petitions have already started going out.
Petitioners will be at Stop & Shop on Silver lane from 9am until 12PM tomorrow if you’d like to come by and sign a petition or pick up some petitions to assist in the process. With the voter registration surge the Obama campaign inspired the referendum effort requires a little over 4,000 signatures to get on the ballot up from the 3,700 range in the past.
If anyone would like a petition they may pick one up at the Town Clerk’s office or call me at (860) 930-4149.
Petitions must be turned in by 5:00PM March 26th.
The Citizens’ Budget Project has already halved the Mayor’s budget deficit and I am seeking volunteers for the citizens’ budget committee.
East Hartford Legislative Delegation Responds
I received a letter yesterday dated March 9th from our Reps. Larson, Genga & Rojas and Senator LeBeau in response to the letter I sent them on Feb. 25th requesting emergency legislation providing an exemption for East Hartford from Minimum Budget Requirements and binding arbitration awards.
According to the letter they are working on it but can’t gt it done in time. I disagree, if they wanted to do it it would be introduced by now. Incidentally the MORE commission presentation on the first round of recommendations does not indicate at all that there is any intention of suspending binding arbitration or Minimum Budget Requirements now or in the future. There is however plenty of reference to the commission being significantly behind new and increased taxes at the state level. They call them “revenue streams”. See for yourself. http://housedems.ct.gov/more/More3_3_10.pdf
Make no mistake, because of inaction by our legislative delegation our taxes in this newly adopted budget are almost $200 per year higher than they would otherwise be if we were free to set our Board of Education budget at reasonable levels.
If they continue to not act on these issues our taxes will increase another $400 next year.
If your Web browser is not configured to display PDF files click here to download the PDF file.
The Budget Proposal Details – Here are the Republican and Democratic Plans
Here are the specific budget plans put forth at yesterday’s budget meeting. It’s interesting to note that the Democrats’ proposed (and adopted) budget is actually less than the one put forth by the Republicans.
The Democrats’ proposed reductions totaled $2,285,916 for a proposed mill rate of 33.81824.
The Republicans’ proposed reductions totaled $2,201,518 plus a plan to increase revenue by $50,000 by auctioning surplus town equipment for a proposed mill rate of 33.84615. The Republican plan shares many of the same cuts as the Democratic proposal and as a result proposed only $799,103 in new reductions.
Had the entirety of both plans been adopted the mill rate would be 33.55 which would still represent a tax increase greater than 5.9%.
I am convinced that a referendum is necessary here, even though under current Charter rules it is toothless. Perhaps the proper followup to a referendum would be to submit our own citizens’ budget to the Council and Mayor. We don’t need to get elected. We have the political courage to do right by ourselves and our neighbors.
2010-2011 Republican Budget Report
2010-2011 Republican Budget Proposal
2010-2011 Democratic Budget Proposal
Some Budget Wisdom From The Speak Out Column
I am reading my Reminder, which I oddly get every week on Monday though the publication date is not until Thursday, and surprisingly there is more budget wisdom in the speak out section than at the actual budget meeting.
Courage
In regards to proposed tax increases, how about these ideas: a 0-percent tax increase, five furlough days required per year (starting at the top), employees to pay more for healthcare and new employees to manage their own retirement accounts. Private industry does these things and town leaders must find the courage to do the same. Lastly, let volunteers run the leaf vacuum truck in their neighborhoods. Take away the leaf truck and I’ll burn the leaves.
What’s The Story?
Last week our town’s finance director said there would be an increase in taxes of 2.9 percent, because of a 3 percent inflation. The federal government said inflation is 0 percent. This week I read that a proposed 9.2 percent tax increase is on the table. I guess we are the taxpayers with the golden egg.
Town Council fails in their duties again. 6.8% Tax Increase Approved. Budget Referendum Imminent.
I kind of feel like I got gang-mugged last night. Gagged, beaten and mugged, all while my attackers repeatedly insisted it wasn’t their fault and patted each other on the back for doing me a favor.
It may not be their fault that the economy is upside down, but it is their fault East Hartford can’t remember what economic growth is. It is their fault that employee wages and benefits are bankrupting this town. It is their fault that the Board of Education spends more every year for a worse education. Where is the leadership?
I will give the Republicans some credit, they at least took the basic procedural step of moving to amend the budget this year, an action that has been conspicuously absent from past budget sessions.
I won’t give the Democrats any credit. The ball was in their hands and they decided the best thing to do was nothing. Both parties’ budget proposals were abysmal at best. Marcia LeClerc was entirely unknowledgeable and contradictory in her criticism of Eric Thompson’s suggested removal of administrator raises (really? administrator raises?) and take back of administrator vehicles which in some cases go across the state and out of state every night. Her suggestion that these cuts can’t be done because these non-union employees are protected by union contracts removes any faith that I have that these people know what they are doing.
All told both parties proposed about 2.2 million dollars in cuts from the Mayor’s proposed 8.1 million dollar deficit. Unfortunately both budget proposals cut the same things making them almost identical. Neither proposal included any sign of political courage or desire to protect we the taxpayers. Neither proposal even looked in the direction of ensuring that the same problems driving this year’s budget won’t be back next year. The result, next year we will have a 6 million dollar shortfall from federal funny money (Thanks Bush & Obama), wage increases we can’t afford, benefit increases we can’t afford, and more capital expenditure requests for the Mayor’s pet project of turning Town Hall into the palace she clearly deserves (is there a sarcasm font?).
Hey, at least when we can’t afford birthday & Christmas presents for our kids or Thanksgiving dinner thanks to this 6.8% tax increase we can take them by Town Hall for a tour of the new granite curbing to show them where our priorities are.
Thank you East Hartford Town Council. Thank you Mayor Currey. Together you have ensured I have no faith in my government. This man does have faith in one thing though, referendum and initiative. I will sign the petition and vote for referendum and I encourage my neighbors to do the same.
If 2010 is going to go down as the year of political cowardice I can’t wait to see what 2011 will bring. In this meeting nobody wins the performance award. Nobody performed and everyone loses.
Pre-Budget Rumblings
Word on the street has it that the Dems will be proposing around 4 million in cuts from the budget with Reps proposing an additional 1.8 million in cuts. It’s unclear if the 4 and 1.8 overlap at all and what services are involved.
That translates into a tax increase around 4.5 percent or down around 2-3 percent if the Republican cuts are non-overlapping and are adopted.
I have heard vacuum leaf pickup could be on the block… though I don’t know why. It’s an appreciated service, that could be streamlined a bit but is certainly not expensive as a whole.
I did some rough math on the service and it seems pretty efficient compared to private alternatives.
http://www.brainflation.com/2009/11/21/my-leaves-are-gone/
We’ll see tonight. One thing is going to be certain. Nobody is going to address the runaway cost drivers. I have not received a reply to my letter to our legislative delegation, the delegation has not interacted with the Council and the Council has expressed no interest in reforming runaway mandates on employee and education costs.
