Utica's Proposed Budget: Utica Council continues to look at the numbers
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: March 14, 2012
The deadline is nearing and slowly but surely, progress is being made in Utica's proposed budget.
The Common Council voted on several amendments Wednesday night, which include around a 1% decrease in the 18% tax hike.
Councilman Frank Meola says they have gotten some good concessions with the fire department and hope to continue to hear some good results.
PBA President, Sgt. Dominick Nitti says he's aware of the strong concessions needed, but in order to work on that, he says he needs numbers.
"I can't go to my membership and ask them I need this much money and not give them the reason why I need that money. If they tell me you will save nine jobs that are on your department right now I can go back to the membership and say they have nine bodies that they are going to take from us, this is the dollar amount we need to come up with in the concession to save Officer A, B, C, and D. If I don't have that, if they don't have it in writing who they're going to save, they're not going to give concessions," said Nitti.
Councilman Meola says, instead of a number, Sgt. Nitti could come up with a package of concessions that they would approve.
There is another meeting scheduled to discuss more amendments with the budget on Friday.
The Common Council voted on several amendments Wednesday night, which include around a 1% decrease in the 18% tax hike.
Councilman Frank Meola says they have gotten some good concessions with the fire department and hope to continue to hear some good results.
PBA President, Sgt. Dominick Nitti says he's aware of the strong concessions needed, but in order to work on that, he says he needs numbers.
"I can't go to my membership and ask them I need this much money and not give them the reason why I need that money. If they tell me you will save nine jobs that are on your department right now I can go back to the membership and say they have nine bodies that they are going to take from us, this is the dollar amount we need to come up with in the concession to save Officer A, B, C, and D. If I don't have that, if they don't have it in writing who they're going to save, they're not going to give concessions," said Nitti.
Councilman Meola says, instead of a number, Sgt. Nitti could come up with a package of concessions that they would approve.
There is another meeting scheduled to discuss more amendments with the budget on Friday.
