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By Katelyn Gendron Reminder Assistant Editor WEST SPRINGFIELD In an interview with Reminder Publications, Mayor Edward Gibson said he was faced with a "unique challenge" during the fiscal year 2009 (FY09) budget process preparing the town for the ramifications of the nation's dismal economic future. He explained that fluctuations in federal and state funding have placed greater financial burdens on local communities and taxpayers. Gibson said decreased aid combined with mandated repairs to the town's levee system, contractual increases and the rising costs of living have diminished town funds that would have otherwise been used for general operations. The mayor's proposed $82.5 million FY09 operating budget, currently under review by the Town Council's Budget Committee, is only a 3.2 percent increase over FY08. "The fiscal year 2009 budget presents a number of unique challenges and is a balance between providing prompt services to the residents of West Springfield and a cost efficient budget due to the tight fiscal constraints and reductions over several previous years in State Aid, although we will see an increase in Chapter 70 funding this upcoming fiscal year, the Lottery fund distribution will be flat and the Legislature is using the State's Stabilization Fund to provide Cities and Towns with a level funded Lottery distribution rather than reduce those funds to us," Gibson wrote in his budget proposal. The budget estimates $87.9 million in revenues, of which 60 percent is from real estate and personal property tax, 27 percent is State Aid, 12 percent is local revenues and one percent is free cash. Included within his estimates are $1 million in new growth, a 2.5 percent increase in the tax levy, a $1.2 million increase in State Aid and a $167,015 increase in local revenue. The mayor has appropriated the largest portions of the FY09 budget to the School Department (43 percent), Public Safety (13 percent) and Public Works (12 percent). The mayor proposed a 2.9 percent increase in the School Department's budget, despite the department's request for a 6.8 percent increase over their FY08 $34.1 million budget. "We'll have to make some adjustments to operate within the limited funding," Kevin McQuillian, assistant superintendent of West Springfield Public Schools, said. "There's a lot left out of the budget from our [the School Department's] perspective." McQuillian explained that the department expressed the need for increased funding for equipment replacement such as 10-year-old computers, funds for increased staffing, programming and capital improvement projects, which the department did not receive. The mayor did, however, appropriate funds for the replacement of the handicapped accessible chairlifts at the high school, he added. "Most communities really can't afford to put six percent into the School Department or any department without seriously overburdening the taxpayer or seriously hurting services from other departments," Gibson explained. In an effort to ensure the town's economic stability and bond rating the mayor has also proposed depositing $200,000 into the town's Stabilization or "Rainy Day" Fund. Gibson has also proposed an appropriation of $4.3 million for capital projects and the use of $825,000 in free cash for one-time expenditures such as the levee system. He explained that the Phase II of the levee system, including an inspection, certification and possibly repairs, must be completed by Jan. 31, 2010. "We try to adhere [to a policy] that one-time revenues should be used for one-time expenditures," Gibson explained of appropriating the funds for Phase II of the levee system. He also emphasized the need for continuously appropriating "$3 to 4 million for capital budget and one-time capital improvements, even in tough fiscal times" so that infrastructure repairs and maintenance do not become neglected. District 2 Town Councilor Cynthia Romaniak, also chair of the council's Budget Committee, explained that the committee is still in the preliminary stages of reviewing the FY09 budget proposal. She added that the committee is meeting with each department head in order to review increasing costs and individual appropriations to ensure that every penny is allocated efficiently. "We've had lean budgets since 2003," she said. "There's not a lot of fat left [to cut from the budget]." | ||||||
