OVERRIDE TO ADDRESS $13.1m DEFICIT?
Selectmen want cuts; those testifying want marching orders
The push-and-pull of Arlington's evolving fiscal crisis took these turns Feb 10:
Selectmen pushed those crowded into a Town Hall hearing room toward the unwelcome notion that budgets must be cut to the bone before the board can ask voters to raise taxes.
Then a variety of speakers -- from parents to leaders to police and firefighters -- tried to pull selectmen back to the public's main pitch: The town needs an override.
"I work with patients," said Dr. Robin Schoenthaler, "and when you cut to the bone, you run into bloody arteries."
Her comments came after officials, responding to Selectmen Charles Lyons, said they expect to prepare a list of $915,746 in cuts for the current fiscal year, by Feb. 24. This is Arlington's share of midyear reductions Gov. Romney announced in late January.
The Feb. 10 session began with nearly all 63 chairs in the public space filled, many of them with school principals. The Finance Committee, 17 volunteers who review town and school budgets, heard Acting Town Manager Nancy Galkowski sketch the current financial picture.
A projected $8 million deficit, detailed to the November Special Town Meeting, has grown to $13.1 million.
Why? Among others, she cited an expected 10-percent loss in state aid, a 20-percent cut in Chapter 70 aid, a drop in revenue and increases in pension payouts.
Worse, she said, are projected numbers for fiscal 2005 ($14.4 million deficit) and 2006 ($18.2 million). Proposed budget details >>>
Charles Foskett, chair of the town's Capital Planning Committee, said the fiscal problem is a three-year matter, not just an issue for this spring. Taking the deficits for all three years together brings the fiscal total to $16.8 million, he said, asking: "To what degree do we want to go through this again and again?
Superintendent Kay Donovan indicated how much guidance everyone will need as she provided the impact statement authorized in a Jan. 28 School Committee vote. She listed program after program, as well as 93 positions, that would be cut under $5.1 million in proposed reductions. Details are online.
Then she made what she termed "unpopular recommendations." They included seeking legislation requiring the state to fund special-education mandates, particularly for preschoolers, and to deal statewide with health insurance.
In an effort to offer a road map, Lyons made clear the town had to address Gov. Romney's midyear cuts first. Further, Lyons suggested formation of task forces on health care, special education and state aid.
If we don't cut [$915,746], we can't ask taxpayers for an override," he said.
All selectmen said they would back an override if appropriate reductions were made first. Expressing caution were Kathy Dias, Diane Mahon, Jack Hurd and Kevin Greeley.
Those speaking during public participation were less cautious, as the room swelled to close to 90 people, including many firefighters.
Annie LaCourt, a Town Meeting member and Stratton parent involved in previous overrides, drew an ovation with her call to action. "I am appalled," she said. "This problem has been known since last spring."
Richard Marquis, president of the union representing town firefighters, urged the retention 15-person staffing levels.
Harry McCabe, a Town Meeting member, said the Council of Aging could not function if it sustains the proposed 60.2-percent cut.
Schoenthaler made her plea a bit more personal by sitting at the table where officials were seated. She alternately addressed them and turned to face the audience. Speaking in gentler tone, she encouraged town officials to have courage, as do physicians who work with cancer patients.
Pat Deal, a member of the Library Trustees, addressed what Arlington would lose if it closes the Fox and reduces hours at Robbins, so that it's open only two nights a week. "We will lose a bit of our home," she said.
Lynnette Culverhouse, known for her anti-MCAS activism and a proponent of home-schooling, was the lone cautious voice about an override among the public speakers. She urged all concerned to remember our lower-income residents.
Nora Mann, a Town Meeting member and a member of the Redevelopment Board, made a passionate plea for parity when it comes to cuts. She noted her vote at last June's Town Meeting opposing raises for management and made clear she believes that manager pay ought to be considered in reductions.
Urging to restore cuts for police were Lt. John Serson and Officer James Smith.
Cindy Friedman, active on the Symmes Advisory Committee and on SPOT, the grass-roots effort to support schools, said she thought the schools were feeling more pain than the town. She contrasted 93 planned school cuts to 47 for the town, 13 of them vacant positions.
Proposed town reductions total $2.9 million.
Earlier summary
Acting Town Manager Nancy Galkowski provided the first look at the fiscal 2004 town budget on Feb. 6 to the Board of Selectmen, and her PowerPoint presentation was posted on the town Web site Feb. 7. A .pdf version has been added.
At the Feb. 6 meeting, officials received a summary showing proposed reductions in town departments. The PowerPoint presentation includes these recommendations. Scroll down to Town Manager's Recommended Reductions, near the end.
The full proposed budget is available to the public at the Robbins Library, Galkowski said.
The public was to be permitted to witness the unveiling, but they were not allowed to speak. Various departmental managers attended the meeting in the Selectmen's Hearing Room at Town Hall.
The selectmen voted Jan. 27 voted unanimously to postponed the planned presentation of the fiscal 2004 budget until Thursday, Feb. 6.
In a related matter, the School Committee Jan. 28 unanimously supported a motion to include with the proposed school budget a statement that makes clear to selectmen and the Finance Committee the impact of the planned school cuts.
A summary of the school budget is to be presented to selectmen Feb. 10, the night Acting Manager Nancy Galkowski is to present the town's plan for a vote.
Officials were waiting to see what Gov. Mitt Romney proposed Jan. 29 in midyear local-aid cuts before proceeding.
The public awaits the new town budget proposal, because it is expected to include $8.5 million in reductions. Of that, the proposed school budget covers $5.1 million in reductions, a plan that calls for cutting 93 positions.
Lyons said he expected a vote on the first town budget Monday, Feb. 10 and on the second the next night.
He said recommendations on both will go to the Finance Committee for its deliberation. That town body then considers individual town budgets.
Selectmen are scheduled to meet in their second-floor meeting room at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at a hearing room in Town Hall to hear Galkowski present the proposed town budget for fiscal 2004.
Before this session, the five selectmen will have received a draft copy of the proposal.
The Feb. 6 meeting is public, but there will be no citizens' open forum, as regular selectmen's meeting have.
The regular selectmen's meeting -- Monday, Feb. 10, at 7:15 p.m. -- is expected to include discussion of the fiscal 2004 budget plan. The public is expected to be able to speak during the citizens' open forum that evening.
The School Committee plans to present its fiscal 2004 proposal at the Feb. 10 selectmen's meeting.
At its Jan. 28 meeting, the committee voted, 7-0, to back the recommendation of Superintendent Kay Donovan that the fiscal 2004 school budget, as proposed, will have devastating consequences for Arlington Public Schools.
The motion the committee voted reads:
On a motion by Ms. Goodman, seconded by Ms. LaMachia and amended by Ms. Owayda it was Voted that the Arlington School Committee present a level service budget as well as a budget that reflects $5.1 million worth of cuts to the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen as requested. An impact statement will accompany said budgets that portrays the devastation such cuts will have on our educational programs if enacted; in addition it is the hope of the School Committee that the Town will work together to look at other revenue sources either in the town budget or elsewhere to further support education.
Roll Call: Unanimous
The committee will present two budgets, one reflecting on increase in services and one reflecting the worst case known at the time of the proposal. Committee members speaking to the issue supported it.
Committee member Martin Thrope asked for a line-item budget, but the superintendent indicated that was impractical at this point.
"If we do line items, I want the town to do the same," Committee member Barbara Goodman said.
Following the discussion and vote, Committee Chairman David McKenna took issue with a statement he said Selectman Charles Lyons made Jan. 27 that some officials are "overreacting" to current fiscal problems. "I don't think we're overreacting," McKenna said.
As for the Feb. 10 selectmen's meeting, Selectmen Diane Mahon reported there is no sign-up procedure for the public to speak. In the past, she said, she has given the chairman the names of speakers.
To get a seat Feb. 10, participants are advised to show up 10 to 15 minutes before the meeting.
Mahon said there is no written time limit to testimony, but if a speaker takes more than four minutes, board members may ask him or her to finish if many other speakers are waiting.
In the vent of a large turnout Feb. 10, the Town Hall Auditorium is unavailable. The selectmen's office said it is undergoing renovations.
Town budget details have been requested and are expected to be posted on the town Web site after official presentations.
-- Bob Sprague
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