Any word on 2012 budget? Whens it getting released and presented?

          Generally a public hearing on the preliminary budget is called for in the first November Town Board Meeting.  After the public hearing, generally the TB votes to approve the preliminary as the adopted budget on the 2nd TB meeting in November.

It is unfortunate that the preliminary budget is not made public until after Election Day.  The constituents have
a right to know how their sitting government is functioning prior to deciding on reelection.

the 2012 tent budget is online......and again.....over the top

when is the next audit?????

Quoted from RightOn15

the 2012 tent budget is online......and again.....over the top

????? where is it ??????

it was online last week......can't find it....2011 is there at Town of Rotterdam NY.org....

anyone know where it is...or was I dilusional??

by state law - the preliminary budget has to be unveiled by the Supervisor around the last day of September  

Quoted from RightOn15

dilusional??

Delusional!

right in your league MM

Quoted from RightOn15

right in your league MM

Dream on!

have you heard the good news....looks like Albany is doing something right.....hiring cops....raises...
.no layoffs....Jennings does RUN the city like a business...........

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Towns deal with tax cap
R'dam eyes 13 layoffs in budget; Nisky’ and Glenville propose cuts, no layoffs
By John Purcell As of Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Rotterdam’s bleak budget
#DelGallo’s proposed $20.1 million 2012 budget for Rotterdam holds an increase of $835,000 over the 2011 modified budget and a tax levy increase of 2.83 percent, which does fall within the tax cap after allowed adjustments. The town’s fund balance usage is set for a drastic decline with about $800,000 set for 2012, a 50 percent reduction from 2011.

#Ending the reliance on fund balance usage was important, DelGallo said, because the town would run it dry shortly if it continued previous allocations. Town Comptroller Anthony Tangarone said he hopes the fund balance at the end of 2011 totals $2.3 million, but DelGallo said the town would be “lucky” if it stays above $2 million.

#The budget also doesn’t take into account any possible costs from flooding damage sustained during Tropical Storms Irene and Lee. Initial town official estimates are around $300,000 for the blow town funds will receive.

#Department head requests for the 2012 budget totaled nearly $22 million, but the tentative budget holds almost $800,000 in cuts.

#Opening Rotterdam’s Tentative 2012 Budget yielded a surprise on the first two lines for board members. DelGallo had removed all four board member salaries for a total savings of $41,500.

#DelGallo transferred his supervisor salary of $13,000 to town projects in 2010 and 2011 — senior center kitchen repairs and a new veteran memorial — but this time he went after the entire board’s compensation. No board members voiced any opinions on this move, but Diane Marco, Democrat candidate for town clerk, shared her bafflement.

#“The entire Town Board will have a zero salary in your budget?” Marco asked DelGallo. “What an embarrassment.”

#His justification for cutting the board’s salary was to keep one town employee position.

#“There ain’t nobody up here that needs money,” DelGallo responded. “It’s easier to keep one man working than it is to give somebody a little bit of money.”

#The Town Planning Commission stipends remained unchanged, totaling $29,000 for the seven-person board. Also, the Town Zoning Board of Appeals stipends were unchanged at $11,000 for the five-person board.

#The Rotterdam Police Department is set to see a shrinking staff with DelGallo planning to demote three detectives back to patrolmen and lay off three patrolmen.

#Rotterdam Police Chief James Hamilton said he hadn’t heard of such cuts before the meeting and said DelGallo had told him two detective positions were up for elimination. Overall, the police budget was reduced by over $200,000 compared to the 2011 modified budget.

#Earlier in the meeting Town Comptroller Anthony Tangarone said not all department heads were aware of the proposed cuts before the budget was released.

#“It is going to be a combination of some surprised and some not surprised,” said Tangarone. “The department heads are very well aware these cuts are on the line.”

#Councilwoman Nicola DiLeva wasn’t pleased all department heads weren’t aware of the proposed cuts.

#“I have a big problem with that,” she said.

#DelGallo said an effort was made to spread cuts out evenly between all departments. Tangarone echoed his comments and said it will be a tough budget for every department.

#“This is very painful … every department is suffering pain in this process. In order to get under the 2 percent tax cap limitation major alterations were needed,” said Tangarone. “This year is probably going to be as painful as next year. Things need to be looked at not only in just this year’s budget, but also going into the future.”

#Senior programming in the town received an almost 50 percent reduction in funding compared to the modified 2011 budget, which held cuts nearing $85,000. The Brass Rail cafeteria at the center would be shut down and funding for 17 part-time positions is removed, which totals $30,500 in requested funds.

#Ron Severson, chairman for the town Parks and Recreation Commission, said the parks and recreation programs in the town under the proposed budget would face drastic cuts of around $150,000.

#“To gut the entire parks and recreation program I think is deplorable,” said Severson. “I know times are tough, but to completely gut that, what does that leave for the quality of life in our town?”

#Councilman Wayne Calder commented on how other municipalities were able to come under the tax cap without layoffs proposed.

#“I find it difficult to comprehend that the City of Schenectady, the Town of Niskayuna and the Town of Glenville can all stay under 2 percent and not lay anybody off,” said Calder. “Is there some reason why we’re in so much trouble compared to everybody else?”

#Tangarone said it is a “simple answer:” he believed the towns are staffed much lighter compared to Rotterdam and the towns haven’t depleted their fund balances as drastically over the last few years.

http://www.schenectadyspotlight.com/news/2011/oct/05/towns-deal-tax-cap/

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#Ron Severson, chairman for the town Parks and Recreation Commission, said the parks and recreation programs in the town under the proposed budget would face drastic cuts of around $150,000.

#“To gut the entire parks and recreation program I think is deplorable,” said Severson. “I know times are tough, but to completely gut that, what does that leave for the quality of life in our town?”

In these tough economic times, people aren't concerned about quality of life in the town, but rather quality of life in their HOMES.  I still think the budget has come in too high.  I think MORE cuts are necessary.  How about adjusting the Town Clerk salary to about $35K or $38K?  I think that would be much more in line with the private sector.  

Just because there is a cap of 2% doesn't mean you have to raise taxes and come as close as you can to that number.  The economy is contracting, this makes no sense to continue to increase the budget and raise taxes.  People in Rotterdam are struggling to pay their taxes.  Health care costs are going up, retirement accounts evaporated with the dow jones DOWN 4% in 2011,  bank saving rates are virtually ZERO, food prices are UP nearly 5% in 2011, and gas prices are up 20% in 2011.  And while all this was going the REMS were looking for a taxing district, District 5 is looking for a bond that nearly doubles the district tax levy, town taxes are going up almost 3%, and county taxes are going up 1.5%.  

WHERE DO THEY THINK PEOPLE ARE GETTING THIS MONEY FROM?

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#Ron Severson, chairman for the town Parks and Recreation Commission, said the parks and recreation programs in the town under the proposed budget would face drastic cuts of around $150,000.

Previously, Ronnie said:

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As for your nasty comment about the Parks and Recreation Commission -- we, unlike any other commission or board or entity in the town government -  do not cost the taxpayers a single penny.   We are also the only commission or board or entity in the town government that GAVE MONEY TO the town in 2011 ...  $0 out of the town coffers  and we put money IN to the town coffers.

Oh, and before you say that you never said that, http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1317688137/s-20/highlight-coffers/#num20