Thursday, April 11, 2013
To pass budget without a tax increase, $3 million would be drawn from surplus funds. It makes one councilman very nervous.
Ridgewood residents very well could see no increase in their municipal taxes, but the strategy used to reach that figure has aroused concern from one official. By drawing $3 million of its surplus, Ridgewood can deliver a 0 percent tax increase to residents while avoiding layoffs, increasing the library budget to 2009 levels, and maintaing extended hours at Graydon Pool, Village Manager Ken Gabbert said. The manager previously said a zero percent tax increase would force layoffs. The $3 million withdrawl would leave only $500,000 in Ridgewood's municipal fund balance. It could be disastrous for residents, Councilman Tom Riche argued. Large-scale storms can be budgeted for through emergency appropriations, but "bad budgeting" could leave …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Working Ridgewood municipal budget has identified savings to reach a 1.5 percent tax increase. Mayor Paul Aronsohn says he does not support layoffs to realize no tax increase.
The average Ridgewood household could see a $225 tax hike after municipal officials identified an additional $600,000 in cuts and revenue. But cutting deeper to realize a zero tax increase might require pink slips for firefighters and police officers. According to Village Manager Ken Gabbert, $38,000 in new revenue and about $550,000 in departmental reductions have pared a potential tax increase to 1.5 percent. The figure on the working draft represents about $225 per the average resident, he said Wednesday night at the council meeting. "This proposal, without the staff reductions or layoffs, would mean a budget of $44,995,981," Gabbert said. "So we're under last year's budget by $240,000, which is a half-percent under [last year's] budget…
Monday, January 14, 2013
Citizen financial group recommends the village act – and quickly – to avert major budget woes that it believes will force residents out of town.
If the village can't get its fiscal house in order, property taxes will soar to more than $25,000 for the average resident in less than a decade's time, a volunteer finance team commissioned by the mayor reported Wednesday night. According to the finance group, known as "The Tiger Team," the genesis of the problem lies in the village's municipal budget. The municipal budget has increased 410 percent from $8.7 million to $44.5 million over the past three decades, Tiger Team member Bayard Demallie told the council. "If we do nothing, the average property tax bill in Ridgewood is expected to increase 60 percent from $15,606 in 2011 to over $25,000 in nine years," Demallie said. "The largest drivers of the budget growth have increased 78 …
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Any lower than 4 percent and layoffs seem guaranteed. Aronsohn calls for zero-based budgeting process, release of preliminary budget documents to public but is shot down by fellow council members.
Department heads have been put on notice – they should expect substantial cuts as the village council attempts to wean the tax rate down from an initial projection of a 7.6 percent increase. In an exhaustive four-hour meeting Wednesday, several council members said they're eyeing a more palatable figure – ranging from a 4 percent increase or above, but stopping well short of the initial projection of 7.6 percent, which would hit the average homeowner assessed at $794,000 with a $262 hike. According to CFO Steve Sanzari, the village was slammed with an increase in expenditures worth $1.3 million, as well as a shortfall in revenue worth over $800,000. When factoring in exceptions to the 2 percent local tax cap levy (like storms and health …
Monday, March 19, 2012
Mayor Keith Killion concerned about public perception of initial budget forecast, which suggested a possible 7.5 percent increase
Citing resident unease over an initial projected tax increase of 7.5 percent, Ridgewood Mayor Keith Killion said slow down, folks – this is just the first pass and that number is likely to fall over the upcoming few months. A 7.5 percent tax hike would amount to a $262 increase for the average homeowner assessed at $794,000, according to budget officials. At the Wednesday afternoon budget presentation, Killion reiterated certain municipal expenses lie outside the local 2 percent tax levy cap enacted by the state, but still account for a raw increase to taxpayers. "I'm getting a lot of e-mails that other towns are bringing it [the tax increase] to 1.8 [percent]...it is a deceiving situation and I know all my council people know a 2 percent …
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Officials will work to 'wean down the budget,' Village Manager says
Buckled by storms, rising costs and tax appeals, residents may be looking at a municipal tax increase of over 7 percent for the second consecutive year. In a preliminary 2012 budget overview, Village Manager Ken Gabbert told the council municipal taxes might rise by 7.6 percent, which would represent an increase of $276 for the average assessed homeowner at roughly $794,000. For that average homeowner, the $3,844 municipal tax portion could balloon to $4,120. The first stab at the budget may sound high at 7.6 percent, Gabbert said, but it's not when compared to the initial figures bandied around in previous years. "That is remarkably low from the last two years," he said. "So don't start screaming about 7.6. Obviously the process you're …
disgusted
3:45 pm on Monday, April 15, 2013
jp1 it depends on what day of the week it is and what shift . Out of the remaing 36 6 more are assigned to the other tour (days or nights) 12 are off not including supervisors, then you have 4 detectives to cover 5 days 16 hrs a day, 2 or 3 traffic cops who are used to fill in ptl. when needed 1 supervisor min per shift there goes your manpower, add in injuries, vacation, state mandated training … more ›