2007 Budget: Act I, Scene I...

Well, the FY2007 budget proposal made its debut last night. FINALLY.

It would be unkind to start with questioning WHY the Administration is so late bringing it to the table (state regulations require its introduction by early August), so PT will not.

Now the annual docudrama begins to unfold.

The Council will conduct hearings over the next few weeks to pore over every nook and cranny of the proposal. PT hears that they -- as well as many taxpayers -- will be keeping an eye peeled for where all the new hires (the paybacks of one sort or another for last year's campaign assistance) will be funded.

(It pays to keep in mind that while the Administration PROPOSES the budget, it is the Council which SETS THE ACTUAL BUDGET. It is one of their prime responsibilities as the governing body, and they can mush things around as they see fit. EVERY BUDGET is always the result of a negotiation between the Council and the Administration. It will be instructive to compare this year's final product with the original proposal.)

A couple of bumps in the road are visible right away:

1. The nearly $65M budget is based on the assumption the state will kick in the $2.9M in requested extraordinary aid. Plainfield has never gotten its full request before. Why would it now? So what is Plan B? Does that mean the tax increase will be more than the average $305? Or that the Administration will have to trim some of the new hires? Or sacrifice programs but keep the padded payroll? That will be interesting development NUMBER TWO.
   
   
2. Interesting development NUMBER ONE is likely to be missing the target action date of October 5. Why? Well, first the state has hardly ever gotten the figures for extraordinary aid out before late October/early November in the best of years. Secondly, after reviewing the budget, the DCA could come back to the city -- as it did to Newark with Sharpe's last budget -- and demand the city either square up the income side or reduce the budget.

In any event, it will be a drama worth paying attention to. Especially so, if you think your taxes should NOT go up.

The full budget, by law, is available for public inspection in the Clerk's office. Some towns across the country actually have their budgets on their websites for free, instantaneous download.

We can live in hope, can't we?

N.B. Though we'll be discussing the budget over the next few weeks, none of the discussion is meant as a criticism of CFO Pete Sepelya, who labors mightily WITHOUT a Director of Administration and Finance, and is only responsible for COMPILING THE NUMBERS, and NOT on deciding the priorities, etc. The buck stops -- as Harry Truman would say -- at the Mayor's desk.

-- Dan Damon

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