The Governor's Municipal Leaders Mandate Board December 9 Meeting
Showing posts with label Connecticut Budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Connecticut Budget. Show all posts
December 12, 2009
December 6, 2009
December 5, 2009
Rell outlines plans to reduce deficit
Rell outlines plans to reduce deficit: "“In many ways, this is the most difficult cut I must propose,” Ms. Rell said. “I have labored to maintain this aid at the same level as the prior year. The simple fact, however, is that the pressure on the state budget is too great. We cannot spend what we do not have.”
To offset the effects of this cut, the governor is forming a panel of lawmakers and six municipal leaders - mayors or first selectmen from two large cities, two mid-size communities and two rural towns - to make proposals for immediate mandate relief. Governor Rell has previously proposed steps such as a temporary suspension of binding arbitration and requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature before any further mandates are imposed.
The panel is to make its recommendations as soon as possible so the Legislature can take swift action to enact them into law and maximize the savings to cities and towns."
To offset the effects of this cut, the governor is forming a panel of lawmakers and six municipal leaders - mayors or first selectmen from two large cities, two mid-size communities and two rural towns - to make proposals for immediate mandate relief. Governor Rell has previously proposed steps such as a temporary suspension of binding arbitration and requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature before any further mandates are imposed.
The panel is to make its recommendations as soon as possible so the Legislature can take swift action to enact them into law and maximize the savings to cities and towns."
Wilton's state legislators brace for Rell's new deficit proposal
Wilton's state legislators brace for Rell's new deficit proposal: "In its monthly letter to the state comptroller, OPM on Friday estimated the current year budget deficit at $466.5 million. The comptroller has already certified that state tax revenues will not be within 1% of original projections, meaning that a planned 0.5 percentage-point reduction in the state sales tax will not take effect in January, so the governor’s plan adjusts the deficit figure downward by $129.5 million. That leaves a deficit of about $337 million to be closed.
Ms. Rell’s plan recommends $116.3 million in program reductions that will require legislative approval, and also freezes enrollment in Rell’s Charter Oak Health Plan for uninsured adults and imposes co-payments for Medicaid recipients and premium increases for those already enrolled in the Husky health insurance program.
The plan calls for a reduction of 3% in state aid to municipalities, a savings to the state budget of $84 million. This is the first time during this budget crisis that the governor has recommended any reduction in state funding for cities and towns.
To offset the effects of this cut, the governor is forming a panel of lawmakers and six municipal leaders — mayors or first selectmen from two large cities, two mid-size communities and two rural towns — to make proposals for immediate mandate relief. Gov. Rell has previously proposed steps such as a temporary suspension of binding arbitration and requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature before any further mandates are imposed.
The panel is to make its recommendations as soon as possible so the legislature may take swift action to enact them into law and maximize the savings to cities and towns."
Ms. Rell’s plan recommends $116.3 million in program reductions that will require legislative approval, and also freezes enrollment in Rell’s Charter Oak Health Plan for uninsured adults and imposes co-payments for Medicaid recipients and premium increases for those already enrolled in the Husky health insurance program.
The plan calls for a reduction of 3% in state aid to municipalities, a savings to the state budget of $84 million. This is the first time during this budget crisis that the governor has recommended any reduction in state funding for cities and towns.
To offset the effects of this cut, the governor is forming a panel of lawmakers and six municipal leaders — mayors or first selectmen from two large cities, two mid-size communities and two rural towns — to make proposals for immediate mandate relief. Gov. Rell has previously proposed steps such as a temporary suspension of binding arbitration and requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature before any further mandates are imposed.
The panel is to make its recommendations as soon as possible so the legislature may take swift action to enact them into law and maximize the savings to cities and towns."
Governor Rell: Gov. Rell: Cooperation is Key In Addressing Reduction of Municipal Aid
Governor Rell: Gov. Rell: Cooperation is Key In Addressing Reduction of Municipal Aid: "Governor Rell has previously proposed steps such as a temporary suspension of binding arbitration and requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature before any further mandates are imposed. She is asking that the panel begin meeting this week.
The following municipal leaders appointed by the Governor are:
· Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch
· Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton
· East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey
· Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy
· Somers First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini
· Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield"
The following municipal leaders appointed by the Governor are:
· Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch
· Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton
· East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey
· Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy
· Somers First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini
· Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield"
Nickel-and-diming the way to a budget - The Connecticut Post Online
Nickel-and-diming the way to a budget - The Connecticut Post Online: "This was no happy group, led by Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, a Republican, and Democratic Mayors Bill Finch of Bridgeport. "
December 4, 2009
Town aid board struggles with cuts
Journal Inquirer > Politics & Government > Town aid board struggles with cuts: "Office of Policy and Management Secretary Robert L. Genuario, Rell’s budget director and one of the few non-town leaders on the panel, said the governor isn’t seeking ideas to increase state spending amid an economic crisis. “There is a limited and narrow charge to this committee,” he said.
Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy, a Republican, offered a lengthy list of costly state mandates that could be eased on towns, ranging from mandated 10-year development and conservation plans to storm water runoff testing. He noted towns even are required to store, at municipal expense, abandoned furniture and other possessions of evicted tenants in their communities.
But mayors and first selectmen across the panel agreed they already have trimmed municipal spending to the bone — with one big unspoken exception."
Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy, a Republican, offered a lengthy list of costly state mandates that could be eased on towns, ranging from mandated 10-year development and conservation plans to storm water runoff testing. He noted towns even are required to store, at municipal expense, abandoned furniture and other possessions of evicted tenants in their communities.
But mayors and first selectmen across the panel agreed they already have trimmed municipal spending to the bone — with one big unspoken exception."
Journal Inquirer > Towns > Vernon > Vernon considers ways to compensate for state aid cuts
Journal Inquirer > Towns > Vernon > Vernon considers ways to compensate for state aid cuts: "on considers ways to compensate for state aid cuts"
VERNON —Town leaders are scrambling to resolve a half-million-dollar shortfall in the town’s current fiscal year budget due to a possible reduction in state aid scheduled to hit municipalities as part of Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s recently proposed budget mitigation plan.Mayor Jason L. McCoy — a Republican who was recently appointed to the governor’s bipartisan committee of municipal leaders to assist bridging the state’s budget gap — told the Town Council the estimated 3 percent reduction in state aid would mean a loss of about $500,000 to Vernon.
“The outlook for Vernon is not bleak,” the mayor said. “But the decreases for Vernon will be tough and will be final.”McCoy said the town has already implemented a non-emergency spending and hiring freeze, and asked town department heads to submit plans to cut current budget spending or increase revenue.
The state’s current spending plan is an estimated $549 million in the red, according to state Comptroller Nancy Wyman. Rell has called the legislature into a special session this month to negotiate an over $300 million deficit mitigation plan that already aims to eliminate about $84 million in municipal aid statewide.Tuesday, council members also briefly debated ways to reduce some items in the current year’s budget, that included reducing the size of the town’s fleet of vehicles, shutting off non-essential street lights, or renegotiating the hourly rate of town attorneys.Republican Councilman Sean O’Shea asked McCoy to explore the sale or lease of town-owned property, despite the recession-plagued market.
VERNON —Town leaders are scrambling to resolve a half-million-dollar shortfall in the town’s current fiscal year budget due to a possible reduction in state aid scheduled to hit municipalities as part of Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s recently proposed budget mitigation plan.Mayor Jason L. McCoy — a Republican who was recently appointed to the governor’s bipartisan committee of municipal leaders to assist bridging the state’s budget gap — told the Town Council the estimated 3 percent reduction in state aid would mean a loss of about $500,000 to Vernon.
“The outlook for Vernon is not bleak,” the mayor said. “But the decreases for Vernon will be tough and will be final.”McCoy said the town has already implemented a non-emergency spending and hiring freeze, and asked town department heads to submit plans to cut current budget spending or increase revenue.
The state’s current spending plan is an estimated $549 million in the red, according to state Comptroller Nancy Wyman. Rell has called the legislature into a special session this month to negotiate an over $300 million deficit mitigation plan that already aims to eliminate about $84 million in municipal aid statewide.Tuesday, council members also briefly debated ways to reduce some items in the current year’s budget, that included reducing the size of the town’s fleet of vehicles, shutting off non-essential street lights, or renegotiating the hourly rate of town attorneys.Republican Councilman Sean O’Shea asked McCoy to explore the sale or lease of town-owned property, despite the recession-plagued market.
Gov. Rell Names Frey To Budget Relief Panel :: repfrey.com
Gov. Rell Names Frey To Budget Relief Panel :: repfrey.com: "The panel are Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey, Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy, Somers First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini, Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, and Senator Robert Kane, representing Senate Republicans.
Mr. Frey represents House Republicans.
Legislative leaders have been asked to appoint six members to the panel, which will be co-chaired by Office of Policy and Management Secretary Robert Genuario and Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Brenda Sisco. Four more will be named.
“I urge the majority party to make its appointments promptly so that this panel can begin working on finding cost-savings solutions rather than overburdening the already overburdened taxpayer of Connecticut,” Gov. Rell said."
Mr. Frey represents House Republicans.
Legislative leaders have been asked to appoint six members to the panel, which will be co-chaired by Office of Policy and Management Secretary Robert Genuario and Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Brenda Sisco. Four more will be named.
“I urge the majority party to make its appointments promptly so that this panel can begin working on finding cost-savings solutions rather than overburdening the already overburdened taxpayer of Connecticut,” Gov. Rell said."
Frey joins panel to deal with state deficit on a local level
Frey joins panel to deal with state deficit on a local level: "Gov. Rell has previously proposed steps such as a temporary suspension of binding arbitration and requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature before any further mandates are imposed. She is asking that the panel begin meeting this week.
Also on the panel are Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey, Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy, Somers First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini, Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, and Senator Robert Kane, representing Senate Republicans.
Mr. Frey represents House Republicans."
Also on the panel are Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, East Hartford Mayor Melody Currey, Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy, Somers First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini, Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield, and Senator Robert Kane, representing Senate Republicans.
Mr. Frey represents House Republicans."
Mayors Against Mandates: Cut This! | NBC Connecticut
Mayors Against Mandates: Cut This! NBC Connecticut: "The task force has no tolerance for the cut in aid, but plenty of suggestions for easing the mandates. One mayor even brought a list, starting with school days.
Jason McCoy, the mayor of Vernon and member of the Governor's same party, read: '180 days and 900 hours.' He continued, 'If it said 180 days OR 900 hours, we could lengthen the day.' Fewer school days would save millions of dollars in building costs, he said.
'We went to a four-day work week and saved a ton of money in building costs,' said Mayor Mark Boughton, another Republican from Danbury.
McCoy said his department heads came up with mandate reforms ranging from pennies to real dollars. They include: letting police off some of the training requirements, charging more for police reports, letting the water company eat some of the million dollars it costs for fire hydrant inspections, allowing real estate conveyance taxes on foreclosures, allowing cities and towns to collect bed taxes from motels, and giving town councils authority over how public schools transfer money between line items."
Jason McCoy, the mayor of Vernon and member of the Governor's same party, read: '180 days and 900 hours.' He continued, 'If it said 180 days OR 900 hours, we could lengthen the day.' Fewer school days would save millions of dollars in building costs, he said.
'We went to a four-day work week and saved a ton of money in building costs,' said Mayor Mark Boughton, another Republican from Danbury.
McCoy said his department heads came up with mandate reforms ranging from pennies to real dollars. They include: letting police off some of the training requirements, charging more for police reports, letting the water company eat some of the million dollars it costs for fire hydrant inspections, allowing real estate conveyance taxes on foreclosures, allowing cities and towns to collect bed taxes from motels, and giving town councils authority over how public schools transfer money between line items."
Panel looks for ways to cut aid to municipalities- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut
Panel looks for ways to cut aid to municipalities- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut: "The panel convened for the first time Thursday morning. During the two-hour conversation, a divide emerged between some of the panel’s big city leaders calling for broader tax reform and representatives from smaller communities seeking more limited mandate relief.
Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy detailed numerous mandates impacting his town’s bottom line, including required storm water testing, conservation plans, reflective street signs and storage of belongings of evicted tenants. He suggested the option of either 900 hours or 180 days as opposed to both thus lifting restrictions on the minimum length of the school year, and asked that municipalities be allowed to charge fees similar to state rates for services. It would be a local option."
Vernon Mayor Jason McCoy detailed numerous mandates impacting his town’s bottom line, including required storm water testing, conservation plans, reflective street signs and storage of belongings of evicted tenants. He suggested the option of either 900 hours or 180 days as opposed to both thus lifting restrictions on the minimum length of the school year, and asked that municipalities be allowed to charge fees similar to state rates for services. It would be a local option."
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