NORWICH – Five City of Norwich residents addressed the Common Council during Tuesday night’s public hearing on the proposed 2008 budget, each indicating that parts of the budget were unacceptable, but at the end of the night, the spending plan was passed by a vote of five to one vote.
The 2008 budget calls for a tax increase of 4.97 percent, which according to City Finance Director William Roberts would raise the average property owner’s taxes by $44 a year. However, many residents found fault with the timing of the budget and the lack of discussion preceding certain items.
Christine Carnrike of Jones Avenue was the first to address the council. Among other things, Carnrike found fault with number originally added to the mayor and council personal services lines that called for a raise of over 50 percent for the council members and a raise of more than 70 percent for the mayor. “I’m appalled that in the State of the City address, released by the mayor just days before the election, there was no mention of a 4.97 percent tax increase, and certainly no mention of a 50 percent raise for the council and a 70 percent raise for the mayor,” Carnrike said.
The Norwich resident also found fault with the fact that the budget was presented just two weeks ago and that the city had no additional meetings scheduled in the event that the budget was voted down. “If this budget is adopted tonight, it’s a disgrace to the taxpayers,” Carnrike said. “If a business ran this way, it would be out of business.”
While Carnrike took the council to task for many of their decisions, she also thanked First Ward Alderman A. Anthony Abraham for his service to the council. “I want to thank Alderman Abraham for doing what he could, although many times it left him standing alone and apart from the rest of the council. I’m sorry to see you leave.”
Jason Miller of Front Street was the next to the podium. Miller said he had read over the numbers and that he encouraged the council to go over them again. Miller said while a 4.97 percent increase may not seem bad, it is a significant increase in an area when the mean income is only $30,000 a year. “I’d vote no if I was sitting up there today,” Miller said.
Former mayoral candidate Michael Carnrike of York Street also voiced opposition to the budget. “I urge the mayor and the council to stand up for the city and lead by example.” Carnrike explained that Norwich is a different place than it was 20 years ago and that things can’t continue in the status quo. He suggested making several changes. “Start within the city government,” Carnrike said, suggesting that as of the next election, the city change the ward boundaries, decreasing from six wards to four, using North and South Broad and East and West Main Street as boundaries. He also suggested making part time employees ineligible for health benefits, an action that the finance committee discussed at their last meeting and approved later in the night. Carnrike also suggested taking some of the burden off city taxpayers and making the Town of Norwich fulfill its part of an agreement for water and sewer. Although the city has provided portions of the town with water and sewer services for several years, the town failed to complete hook-ups they had previously agreed to. “Last year the city saw increase rates and this year too, but you’ve allowed the town to ignore their end of the responsibility,” Carnrike said.
City resident Edward Morano of Miller Street made other suggestions to the council, explaining that looking at the budget on a year to year basis is not enough. He said the city needs to look at a three to five year expense plan. “You have to be smart enough to look out and project what the costs are going to be,” Morano said, telling the council that it would also be smart to institute a six to ten year capital budget plan for the replacement of large items such as police cars, fire engines and other necessary equipment. “You can’t do these things on a yearly basis. That’s why the budget comes as a surprise every now and then,” Morano said. He also suggested that Mayor Joseph Maiurano, Finance and Personnel Committee Chair Walter Schermerhorn and Public Works and Public Safety Chair Terry Bresina all attend department head meetings to better understand the issues and ensure they are being addressed.
The final resident to speak, Mary Coe of Waite Street, told the council that a 4.97 percent tax increase was indeed more than many taxpayers could handle. “It’s hard for seniors today. There are a lot that are struggling,” Coe said. She asked the council to listen to what the residents of the city had said and vote with their hearts.
Abraham read a prepared statement encouraging his fellow council members to vote against the budget and rework every line to bring the tax increase down to 1 or 2 percent. The majority of the aldermen explained that they did not run for council for monetary reasons and had little interest in taking a raise. The raises had not been discussed in any previous finance or personnel meetings. Alderwoman Suzanne Williams asked if the money designated for the council and mayor’s raises could be removed from the budget or designated to a different line item, but after a good deal of discussion, it was left on the contingency line.
The council voted five to one to adopt the 2008 budget. Abraham was the dissenting vote.