Mayor Palmieri: There's potential for cuts and tax increase in city budget
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: February 5, 2013
With several weeks until Utica Mayor Rob Palmieri unveils his proposed 2013-2014 budget, many might wonder what's in store.
The Mayor says the budget won't be as bad as last year, but says that doesn't mean everyone is going to be happy.
"There is that potential that there will be more positions being cut and there is a potential that we may have to go over the 2%," said Mayor Palmieri.
As for a budget gap, the Mayor can't say what the exact number will be, but Councilman at Large, Frank Meola says the council has projected around a $4 million deficit.
"They're estimates from prior budgets, the difference between one year to the other year for example the pension from last year to this year approximately went up from 1.8 to $2 million," said Meola.
The Mayor says that projected gap is speculation and not as high as he's anticipating.
Palmieri sent out a memo breaking down what the cuts would look like if that deficit were true.
He says 55 positions would be eliminated in departments like DPW, UPD, and UFD.
"There's a number of factors we have to take into consideration. Right now at this point we do have the department estimates and those requests are lower than those numbers," said Budget Director, Peter Fiorillo.
The Mayor plans to present his budget on February 20th.
The Mayor says the budget won't be as bad as last year, but says that doesn't mean everyone is going to be happy.
"There is that potential that there will be more positions being cut and there is a potential that we may have to go over the 2%," said Mayor Palmieri.
As for a budget gap, the Mayor can't say what the exact number will be, but Councilman at Large, Frank Meola says the council has projected around a $4 million deficit.
"They're estimates from prior budgets, the difference between one year to the other year for example the pension from last year to this year approximately went up from 1.8 to $2 million," said Meola.
The Mayor says that projected gap is speculation and not as high as he's anticipating.
Palmieri sent out a memo breaking down what the cuts would look like if that deficit were true.
He says 55 positions would be eliminated in departments like DPW, UPD, and UFD.
"There's a number of factors we have to take into consideration. Right now at this point we do have the department estimates and those requests are lower than those numbers," said Budget Director, Peter Fiorillo.
The Mayor plans to present his budget on February 20th.
