I read this morning’s story by Meir Rinde in the Times about the Adminstration’s request for a 30-cent increase in the city’s property tax rate. This translates to a little under $6 Million in additional revenue for the city.
I don’t get it. The Mayor is suggesting that $6 Million is all that is needed in additional revenue to balance the city’s books for the FY 2011 fiscal year?
The Mayor is suggesting that $6 Million is all we need when we are still on the edge of laying off 61 firefighters if the Federal SAFER grant doesn’t come through?
The Mayor is suggesting that $6 Million is all we need when the layoffs made so far this year have been less extensive than announced, and the savings less than expected?
The Mayor is suggesting that $6 Million is all we need when the State’s Transitional Aid award was $12.5 Million less than requested?
All of this leads me to suspect this request, and the numbers behind it. It is certainly high time to revisit our budget situation and firm up our finances for the fiscal year end that is less than six months away. I look forward to seeing a better and fuller presentation on the budget, and getting a sense of our real financial position.
But for now, I just don’t get it.