posted by Joe Polk at 1:02 AM /
Mt. Lebanon's municipal commission approved a $30.7 million general fund budget for 2010 by a 3-2 vote on Monday.
"Despite the shortfalls, we found a way to make it work this year," said D. Raja, who voted in favor of the budget. As incoming commission president, he said he would look for ways to increase revenues over the next year.
The approved budget will not change real estate, earned income and deed transfer tax rates in 2010 as compared with 2009.
Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09351/1021458-55.stm
"Despite the shortfalls, we found a way to make it work this year," said D. Raja, who voted in favor of the budget. As incoming commission president, he said he would look for ways to increase revenues over the next year.
The approved budget will not change real estate, earned income and deed transfer tax rates in 2010 as compared with 2009.
Read more: www.post-gazette.com/pg/09351/1021458-55.stm
Labels: budget, commission
6 Comments:
I received the following email from Dan Miller today:
"The Commission recently passed our 2010 budget. Although this budget protected some key services and did not raise taxes, I voted against it.
This is because I was concerned people would see that it did not cut services nor raise taxes and think everything is going okay. It is not- our current tax structure is insufficient to cover our expenses. The only way we are “balancing the budget” is by massively depleting our reserves, not properly supplying our staff, and by issuing debt to cover routine expenses. This happened last year too- and our situation is only get worse. In 2011 we already need an additional $3.14 million to pay our routine costs.
The fiscally responsible debate is to either cut our services deeply or raise taxes (or some combination of the two). Either option would have an impact on our community.
This is why I have been fighting to get a strategic planning process started to bring you the residents into the process of debating our future. And we need to do this now. We must demand our government get on a better financial footing that matches our services desires and appropriately pays for them.
I proposed that we put a strategic planning process into the 2010 budget but my proposal was defeated 3-2. With a new Commission starting in January I will be raising this issue again.
On my Commission website I have posted the full text of my Commission budget response. You can read it at www.DanMillerWard5.com."
I appreciate Dan's honesty and oversight. It troubles me that our municipal budget is once again failing to cover the basics like streets and sidewalks. I'm also troubled by the fact that some of the Republican commissioners who have expressed similar concerns to me directly, continue to overlook the need to do things diferently. My own Commissioner has repeatedly told me that the money just isn't there and we need to change how we do business. However, his vote on this budget does not reflect this line of thought. We can't continue to fund the basics out of the rainy day fund!
Someone, in addition to Dan, needs to "man up" and be straight with the residents so that we don't continue this downward spiral.
I actually don't think it is a Republican v. Democrat idea (not that Mr. Franklin suggested that). As a Republican, I view it more as a good government notion - i.e., is it good government for the municipality to borrow money (or put it on a credit card as Mr. Miller puts it) for basic services such as road maintenance. I do not believe it is and I certainly don't think it fits with the Republican Party. Unfortunately, our local board seems to disagree with me on that point. I am hopeful, however, that Mr. Kluck can bring some sanity to the current majority as it seems like he is pushing for the right course on this issue.
Stuart Getz
I agree Stuart. It's not a party issue. I think I subconsciously called out the Republican commissioners because (as a Republican) I am growing concerned by their lack of good governance, fiscal responsibility and common sense. Few people like to raise taxes or cut services, but even less of us like the consequences of avoiding the reality of the situation and pushing today's problems off until next year, and the year after.
I concur Mr. Franklin. I would much rather pay as I go than put something off, float a bond for ordinary maintenance, and then pay interest well into the future. I am also gravely concerned by a lack of good governance by this majority - two of whom will be returning. That is why I invoked Mr. Kluck's name. I look forward to hearing his views on this general issue at the appropriate time as I am hopeful he can talk some sense into the other two Republicans on the commission. He is welcome to post his thoughts here I suppose, but I am certainly willing to wait to hear him out when he is sworn in as a new Commissioner.
Stuart Getz
One of the many problems Dan mentions and wants to champion is planning...there is no *plan* in or for Mt. Lebanon. What is termed the "2000 Comprehensive Plan" is a land use plan required every 10 years by Commonwealth statute, which in essence provides background support for implementation of the Zoning Ordinance and a guide for real estate development.
An old Chinese proverb says "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there".....and that pretty well characterizes our dilemma. We don't know where we want to go (or be)and we certainly have no clue as to how we can (or should) get there. We continue to repeat the same mistake year after year under the misguided belief that the annual budget is our *plan*, and the situation worsens. What is that definition of insanity...repetition of the same mistake in the belief that a situation will improve ?
If the "current tax structure is insufficient to cover our expenses," how will the school district pay its bills on the same tax structure?
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