1. Legislative Update by Representative James E. Vallee & State Senator Karen Spilka - unable to participate tonight
2. FY 2011 Budget Discussion
Jeff Nutting updates that
- Property tax will normally allow an increase of 1.8 million
- State Aid is currently expected to decline 1.2 million
- Therefore, net revenue would increase 600,000
Tri-County assessment is expected to increase about 550,000 due to an increase in Franklin student enrollment
Some numbers are still being developed before presenting to the Council not a level service budget but a level funded budget.
Over the years the Town and Schools have already cut their expense budgets, further cuts would come from personnel, the Town likely would loose 5-10 positions.
Whalen - what would be the level service budget deficit?
Nutting - about 3 million, the real request was in the neighborhood of 4 million, the schools have almost another 1 million of stimulus funds to offset this for one year.
Whalen - if we want a level services budget, we would have to cut 3 million to get to the balanced budget
Zollo - how many years have we cut?
Nutting - from 305 to 255 positions from 2001 to 2011, about 50 positions
Zollo - how many on the school side?
Sabolinski - we have been cutting since 2001, in excess of 100 positions
Mason - what has been the student growth in the same period?
Sabolinski - we are over 6100 students now
Nutting - we are paying for the rapid growth in the 90's, the overall population has grown but the school population has grown more
FY 11 may be tough, but FY 12 may be even tougher as the stimulus funds dry up. We are not unique, we will do the best we can with the funds available.
Powderly - The projections do not look at any rosier for the future. There are pieces of our budget that grow beyond our control.
Nutting -comparative numbers for Police, doing double the work with less folks. With folks retiring or leaving, we have not filled positions anticipating the budget problem.
Mason - I am very concerned of the trend. At least for every year, I have been on the Council your projections have been on the money. I am asking that we place an override discussion on the agenda for Apr 28th. I think we should have a decision on an amount to be determined.
3 minute recess
Franklin, MA
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