WARREN City officials debate what to cut in budget

A balanced budget must be passed by year's end.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- After two meetings of discussions on the city's 2003 budget, city officials must determine what's a priority and what may be cut.
"2002 will end in the black, and we will have a balanced budget for 2003," Mayor Hank Angelo said.
Department heads requested nearly $31 million for next year, and the city auditor has certified about $27 million in revenue.
"We're $3 million-plus short of requests," Angelo said.
Angelo, council and department heads have met twice to discuss the budget, which must be in place by year's end.
Councilman Robert A. Marchese, D-at large, said another meeting will be held Tuesday.
Both Angelo and Marchese said the process is at the same place it has been at this time in other years.
What's key
"I've asked them to develop priorities," Angelo said.
Councilman Robert Holmes III, D-4th, points to roads as his priority.
He wants $715,000 from the proceeds of the city's Anthem stock and $300,000 to $400,000 in Community Development Block Grants used for road resurfacing next year.
"To do neighborhood streets, that has to be a priority," Holmes said.
Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large, declined to say where cuts may have to be made until he gathers more information.
"It would be unfair to department heads to say publicly where cuts should be made without talking to them first," he said.
With 2003 anticipated revenue expected to be only slightly higher than it was for this year, it adds to the challenge.
"If there's going to have to be cuts, then we'll have to cut," Holmes said.
He said three vacant laborer jobs the administration wants to fill in the operations department may not be filled.
"They say they'll be able to put together a blacktop crew with those three positions," Holmes said of administration officials.
With the number of people already in the department, they should be able to form a blacktop crew, he maintained.
Personnel costs, including wages and fringe benefits, account for about 84 percent of the budget, Angelo said. Health-care costs have risen 25 percent in the city this year and have increased 82 percent over the last three years.
Union negotiations
Negotiations have recently started with the firefighters union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
"Something's got to give," Holmes said.
If the unions want a pay raise, they should pay a portion of hospitalization costs, he said. If they aren't willing to do that, they shouldn't expect a pay raise. If the unions get a pay raise and the city continues to pay the full hospitalization costs, layoffs will likely be necessary, Holmes said.
"The money's not there," he said. "I'll sit down with anybody that wants and they can show me where they think it is. The money is not there."