posted by Joe Polk at 12:29 AM /
Tis' that season again--budget season--and Mt. Lebanon municipal department heads recently presented their wish lists to the board of commissioners.
The staff members summarized the levels of service their departments currently provide and the ways they would like to expand services in the coming year. It is the traditional 'kickoff" for the budgeting process explained Steven Feller, Mt. Lebanon manager.
Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/ML_budget_discussion
The staff members summarized the levels of service their departments currently provide and the ways they would like to expand services in the coming year. It is the traditional 'kickoff" for the budgeting process explained Steven Feller, Mt. Lebanon manager.
Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/ML_budget_discussion
Labels: commission, municipality
2 Comments:
Most of the muni budgetmakers are proposing increased service levels and in many cases additional capital items , which translates into increased spending and increased taxes if ultimately supported and recommended by the Manager, Steve Feller, and approved by the Commission. The Manager is projecting small, if any, increased tax revenues at current millage and EIT rates; therefore,with inflationary cost increases coupled with contractural wage and linked benefit increases, we're in for 2008 being a year of(1) reduced municipal services at current tax rates,(2)current services at increased tax rates(millage and/or EIT), or(3) significant increases in taxes due in large part to increased service levels across several operational units. 2007 increases in fees and prices for fee-based services will not forstall the inevitable. There seems to be scant possibility of reduced operating costs due to increased productivity and/or efficiency. Stay tuned -- better yet, get involved in the process !!
It is no surprise the staff wants to increase government services, it is what they do. But where is the leadership from the Commission? It would be interesting to know how the budget has changed in the last 5 and 10 years.
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