The ICON membership was provided information and insight into the 2013 proposed budget by Bill McCarty, Director of the Office of Budget & Management, at the January ICON meeting. The proposed budget reflects an emphasis on repaying old debts and doubling the funds for infrastructure. The budget for the Corporate fund, which is only one of several funds making up the city’s entire account, projects $111.6 M of revenue and has been given to the aldermen as balanced.
Director McCarty indicated OBM is anticipating 1) delayed State Income Tax from 2012 will be collected and attributed to 2013, and 2) a specific grant for firefighting equipment will both provide some of the new funding for a balanced budget. The $1.6 M delayed State Tax and $1.2 M SAFER grant plus a small (1.5%) anticipated increase in the 2013 Sales Tax figures, coupled with a reduction of $639,000 of staff expenses, as recommended in the Maximus report, is projected to put the city in a position to repay the two ongoing debts and still allocate $8 M for streets and sidewalks.
Although the SAFER grant provides for new fire trucks, the budget does not reflect any new funding for police or fire staff. However, approximately 20 police officers will be called up to start the year long process of qualifying for assignment. This will not increase the total number of police officers but fill anticipated openings caused through fruition.
Joe McMenamin, Ward #7 alderman, reminded the members that there were going to be a series of public hearings at 5:30 p.m. on February 2nd, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 16th. You can find a detailed report for the 2013 budget on the City’s website:
Overview of proposed budget…
City of Springfield page to download entire budget…
Following the presentation the membership unanimously approved a By Law change related to the number of positions on the Steering Committee and the election process. Once approved the following members were elected to the new positions: Karen Jacobs, Parliamentarian, filling the last year of Jen Aholt’s term; Carol Kneedler and Polly Poskin, new At Large positions.
The next ICON membership meeting will be held Monday, February 27th. The public is invited. If you want to join ICON, individual membership is $20. You can join at the meeting or get an application from our website.