The New Rochelle City Council passed a $154.1 million 2013 budget on Tuesday, but it wasn’t easy.
In wrestling with the plan, originally proposed by City Manager Charles Strome III at $153.6 million, the seven council members debated 15 ideas to add items or save money.
In many cases, the two Republicans on the board were at odds with the five Democrats. But it wasn’t always that clean-cut.
In the end, they added $935,000 in spending. But the size of the spending plan rose only to $154.1 million because some of the money to cover the added items will come from the contingency account, which is already considered part of the budget.
The City Council consists of Mayor Noam Bramson and members Louis Trangucci, Al Tarantino, Jared Rice, Ivar Hyden, Barry Fertel and Shari Rackman. Trangucci and Tarantino are Republicans; the others are all Democrats.
All of the Democrats voted for the final budget; Trangucci and Tarantino voted against it after several cost-cutting measures Trangucci proposed were rejected.
The following list shows the suggestions made before the budget was adopted as well as who suggested them and who voted for or against them.
FIRE DEPT. OVERTIME RESTORED (Adds $300,000.) Proposed by Trangucci and Rackman.
Maintains the fire departments 27 minimum staffing level by eliminating the proposal to allow staffing to dip to 24 firefighters at times.
PASSED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino, Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman.
No: Bramson.
RESTORE LEAF COLLECTION (Adds $250,000.) Proposed by Trangucci and Fertel
To hire seasonal workers to collect piles of loose leaves, saving property owners from having to mulch or bag their own leaves.
PASSED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino, Rice, Hyden, Fertel.
NO: Rackman, Bramson.
ENHANCED MARKETING (Adds $60,000) Proposed by Hyden
To sell the city with efforts that could include attending trade shows to pitch the city’s assets to businesses.
PASSED
YES: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
NO: Trangucci, Tarantino
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND (Adds $150,000) Proposed by Hyden
To make improvements such as streetscape beautification to encourage businesses to come downtown.
PASSED
YES: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Bramson
NO: Trangucci, Tarantino, Rackman
DEVELOPMENT OUTREACH (Adds $75,000.) Proposed by Hyden
To find ways to lure developers.
PASSED
YES: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson.
NO: Trangucci, Tarantino.
REDUCE THE AMOUNT BORROWED FOR CAPITAL BUDGET (Would have cut $300,000 from borrowing.) Proposed by Trangucci.
To cut $300,000 from the $1.6 million being borrowed for vehicles, sewer and storm drain improvements and security cameras. The reduction would not have affected taxes in 2013.
FAILED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino, Hyden
NO: Rice, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
REMOVE INCENTIVE FOR PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS (Would have cut $35,000) Proposed by Trangucci.
To eliminate the city’s share of three major celebrations – July 4th fireworks and parades for Thanksgiving and Memorial Day – leaving the city to seek for private donations to cover the entire cost.
FAILED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino
NO: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
REMOVE LOBBYIST (Would have cut $50,000.) Proposed by Trangucci.
To remove funding for a lobbyist to fight for the city’s interests in Albany as well as in county and federal matters.
FAILED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino
NO: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
REMOVE MATCHING FUNDS FOR GRANTS (Would have cut $50,000.) Proposed by Trangucci.
To remove city’s funds use portions for state and federal grants, many of which require a local match.
FAILED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino
NO: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
ELIMINATE SANITATION STUDY (Would have cut $75,000) Proposed by Trangucci
To remove money for a study of how garbage can be collected more efficiently, including the possibility of serving some routes with automated garbage trucks that collect trash using a mechanical arm.
FAILED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino
NO: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
CUT INDEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT (Would have cut $50,000) Proposed by Trangucci.
To remove funding for a private firm to offer the city more expertise in development projects.
FAILED
YES: Trangucci, Tarantino, Hyden
NO: Rice, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
ELIMINATE DEPUTY DPW COMMISSIONER (Would have cut $93,750 plus benefits.) Proposed by Trangucci.
To stop the hiring of a deputy for the department of public works.
FAILED
No council member seconded Trangucci’s motion, so it did not come to a vote.
FIRE DEPARTMENT STUDY (Adds $100,000.) Proposed by Rice
To add a study to assess how well the city is protected by the fire department and how protection could be improved.
PASSED
YES: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Bramson
NO: Trangucci, Tarantino, Rackman
RAISE MARINA FEES (Adds $80,000 for marina capital fund and $125,000 for the general fund.) Proposed by Bramson
To raise fees for residents who use the New Rochelle Municipal Marina to match or come closer to what non-residents pay.
PASSED
YES: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
NO: Trangucci, Tarrantino
RAISE FEES FOR CITY TENNIS COURTS (Adds $10,000)
PASSED
YES: Rice, Hyden, Fertel, Rackman, Bramson
NO: Trangucci, Tarrantino
1 Comment
Wow, what a bad budget. 3 years worth of tax increases wrapped into 1! Thanks guys & gals!
And Bramson wants to run the county? Give me a break, this guy doesn’t know what numbers are.