City Manager Mary Corriveau Monday night proposed a spending plan that increases spending less than one percent, eliminates three vacant positions and raises the property tax levy by 4.8%. Water and sewer rates would be unchanged.
The spending plan is aided by health insurance costs that actually went down and a resurgance in sales tax revenue. Huge increases in retirement system contributions and cuts in state aid tugged in the other direction.
Lawmakers will review the budget next month and adopt a final plan by June 1.
Lawmakers also approved a much small than expected low bid to rebuild Breen Avenue and renewed employment agreements with Mrs. Corriveau and City Clerk Donna Dutton.
14 comments:
All city officials should forgo any pay hikes of any percentage or we should impose a pay freeze until things get better - that would show good faith on their part to the strapped taxpayers.
Danny's response is so precictable.....How about some union concessions ?
I don't think there is anything wrong with Danny's suggestion. It should be an across the board freeze and it should'nt be anybody "forgoing" anything. The salaries should be frozen, period. I think Dan is right.
This is the move that should have been made at least a year ago. It was in some sectors of the economy.
I think they are both right did you here that dan now what about the Unions these tomes are bad we need them to come back to the table......
How about eliminating the city manager position? Isn't she just doing the mayor's job for him? How many other unnecessary patronage positions are there?
It's time to do a little belt tightening.
Why should the unions concede anything? The big question in my mind always has been percentage raises.. Why percentage ? Why not straight across the board? Once jobs are created and evaluated and the salary set contracts should be settled with straight across the board. The percentage raise cost taxpayers money each year.. Equality.. I blame the unions for this delima and its all over..
UR right 1240, Make the mayor do what he is paid to do.
The mayor is doing his job. Technically the mayors's job under our system (adopted in the early 1900's during a progressive wave) is no more than a glorified councilman. It is up to the City Manager to do just that -- manage the operation of the city. It was considered a way to stop petty partisan politics from interfering with the running of the city. All in all not a bad idea eh?
Workers of the World Unite
Shouldn't all these elected officials work for free as a community service ?
9:49,
It is a bad idea if you want the person running the city to be accountable to voters.
5:17,
Maybe they should. New Hampshire state lawmakers work for free, why can't the city council?
Hey 8:56 does the county buffoons work for FREE, they get a 3% raise every year, plus mileage, the Big Wind deal cost the city 2.2 million.
8:56 Last I checked the City Council (an elected body) hires/fires the City Manager. If you don't like their pick, then don't vote for them. Simple
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