From the Mayor's Desk: Breaking Down the Budget

The following is an opinion piece written by Harrison Mayor/Supervisor Joan Walsh, sharing her thoughts on a few issues in Harrison.

More About the 2011 Budget

By Aug. 23 I will be posting on the town's web site the budget requests for various departments, with an explanation of what is in each category, and a chart of their spending for the past four years. Please look at it carefully. I think you will find it interesting.

The following are comments from residents in response to my request for ideas as to how to plan the 2011 budget. I eliminated all suggestions relating to the schools as they are not run by the town, but by the school board. That is not a town budget.

Comments

1. Taxpayer money to build a swimming pool simply stuns me.
2. Irresponsible raising of property taxes, 2011 should be a zero percent tax increase.
3. Only solution is to do a town-wide reassessment (two people)
4. Aside from adequate police and fire protection, and other safety services like courts and snow removal, every other service (should be) open for elimination or for meaningful reorganization.
5. Renegotiate union contracts as is being done in NJ and other states.
6. Get rid of more town employees. Have others pay for health insurance and pensions.
7. Increase commuter parking fees and install parking meters.
8. Close the libraries one day a week, on different days, so one is always open.
9. Greatest waste in Westchester is overlap of police, fire and garbage.
10. This downturn will be with us for longer than anyone thought.
11. Go to outside contractors for pick-up of garbage.
12. Reduce recreation offerings, or contract with someone to run it.
13. Raise recreation fees.
14. Have trash pick-up once a month or once a quarter instead of once a week on Wednesdays.
15. Pick-up of garbage only once a week.
16. Have volunteer referees at all games.
17. Close some recreation buildings and move activities into only one building.
18. Close town offices one day a week as Arkansas is doing with their schools.

The above are 18 suggestions or criticisms that have been made to me. Most would result in reduced services to you, the town residents, or increasing your out-of-pocket costs for services such as recreation programs or parking, or reduce your access to nearby services by moving them to another section of the town.

It takes about 20 minutes to drive from one end of town to the other. Are you willing to drive that far to go to the library, for example, or play basketball on an evening? Should we install parking meters as has been done in just about every other municipality? On the streets or just in the parking lots?

I am one of those who believe that this economic downturn will be with us for a long time. So I am looking at this budget not just in terms of 2011, as important as that is, but for 2012 and beyond. I have met with one of the gentlemen who was very critical of me, and will meet with others in the days ahead.

You hear of talk of a zero-based budget. Such a thing does not exist. There are certain services we are required to provide such as police and fire, building permits, assessment and tax collection, to name a few. Others we are not required by law to provide but by custom we do so, and you have come to expect it. Please look on the town's web site, and see where your money goes.

You tell me: What should we cut first? What can you do without? What should we change (more) for? What would you volunteer to do?

You tell me.