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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Fee increases, public safety layoffs part of Flint emergency manager's 'worst case' budget plan
Published: Monday, April 23, 2012, 5:30 PM Updated: Monday, April 23, 2012, 5:56 PM
By Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com
FLINT, MI -- Flint property owners can expect to see fee increases and some changes in city services as part of emergency manager Michael Brown's budget plan for Flint.
The proposal has a number of revenue increases as well as some significant cuts -- including 19 police and more than 30 firefighters -- as city officials work to close a projected $25 million deficit amid declining property values and rising legacy costs.
Brown is presenting his budget to the Flint City Council at 5:30 p.m. today at Flint City Hall. (Related story: Emergency manager says budget is 'realistically balanced).
Here's a summary of some of the proposals he's expected to outline.
New Revenues
•Replace the 3-mill waste collection tax with a flat $143 yearly fee charged to property owners per parcel.
With property values decreasing throughout the city, the garbage tax wasn't collecting enough revenue to pay for waste collection, Finance Director Gerald Ambrose. With the new fee, the city will being back fall leaf pickup and expand the compost collection program, officials said
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In the long term, Brown's administration will explore outsourcing waste collection, officials said.
•A new special assessment for the operation, maintenance and improvement of the street lighting system that's expected to be less than $100 per property. Street lights cost the city about $3 million a year, officials said.
•A 25 percent average increase in water and sewer rates (sewer rates are projected to increase by 45 percent while water rates are projected to increase by 12.5 percent).Brown attributes the rising costs to aging infrastructure and the costs passed on from the city's primary water source: the city of Detroit.
"While there have been significant increases in rates over the past few years, they have not been sufficient to cover the operating costs of the systems," Brown's budget plan says. "While there are currently significant and positive efforts being made to make the systems more efficient and cost effective, they will not affect the cost of operating the systems this year."
Brown said it is a "short-term solution," and the city will re-examine the rates in the long term.
Expense
Cuts
•About 20 percent of the city's work force would be laid off under Brown's budget plan -- a reduction of about 147 employees.
It's possible that police officers and firefighters could be among those laid off, depending on whether or not expired public safety grants are renewed, officials said. Applications for renewal are pending for the C.S. Mott Foundation community police grant as well as the federal SAFER grant for firefighters.
The budget includes 19 fewer police officers, for a total of 108 sworn officers of all ranks and 21 civilian personnel. It also includes 62 firefighters, which is a reduction of about 31 fire personnel.
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Closure of two of the city's five fire stations. If the SAFER grant is renewed, the number of open stations could increase, officials said.
With Genesee County doing paramedic runs in the city, the city's paramedic personnel will be assigned to suppression, according to the budget.
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Reduced wages and benefits for city employees.
New contracts that represent an approximate 20 percent cut to total compensation were negotiated with three of the city's six unions. A fourth union, AFSCME Local 1799, is expected to vote on a tentative contract proposal this month.
Brown said talks are continuing with the Flint police patrol union and AFSCME Local 1600, which represents general city employees, but no agreements have been reached.
Without agreements, Brown is expected to invoke his authority under Public Act 4, the emergency manager law, to impose similar cuts to other contracts, according to the budget.
Exempt employees will also receive pay and benefit cuts.
•Reductions in the city's street maintenance program, so that it's focused primarily on preventive maintenance rather than targeted resurfacing.
The city's streets are maintained primarily with funds from the gas and weight tax, which has declined as the city's population has decreased, officials said. Street maintenance will be done on a "critical need" basis.
•Building inspection and code enforcement will continue "to the extent funds are available," according to the budget.
Demolition will be funded at a reduced level because of fewer grant funds and building inspection and code compliance fees are being reviewed. Beginning July 1, most demolition activities will be outsourced.
Other Service Changes
• Streamlined purchasing processes
• Use of electronic means for processing payables and purchase orders
• Elimination of staffed stock rooms
• Changes in pension system administration and performance
• Evaluation of costs associated with custodial services
• Consolidation of customer service functions
• Commitment to rebuilding financial reserves by annual appropriation to a Budget Stabilization Fund |
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Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:52 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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Cutting public safety personnel is insanity.
Time to carry 24/7. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:27 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The 12 hour shifts did not cut overtime when it was implemented under Walliong. With possibly 19 fewer cops, it seems even less likely to be cost effective.
The whole issue was discussed on Flint Talk about a year ago.
The consolidation of the courts may really occur. If so it appears few, if any of the court workers will transfer to the county.
The in house demolition and sidewalk work will be outsourced.
It seems like every night I am awakened by sirens, usually fire sirens. No wonder the firefighters union is threatening action. This union has made cuts repeatedly and they still may lose 31 firefighters.
Brown says he will try to get a grant to pay for Barnett Jones. Shouldn't he have done that first. channel five is doing a story on the cost of Brown's appointees.
They are finally eliminating the lone echo unit and the paramedic. She is being transferred into the suppression unnit. That should save about $400,000 plus dollars. |
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Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:35 pm |
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Bossman
F L I N T O I D
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| Webs....the 12 hour shifts actually did reduce overtime considerably. That is the reason the unions attempted to get Walling to consider it a concession. However, with the seriously reduced staffing the overtime savings will not be as great. Also, the 12 hours shifts allow for more patrol officers per shift with less officers.(Simple math, dividing the officers by 2 instead of 3) When the pilot program was conducted the department had approximately 135-140 officers. The shifts were still short staffed but, there were more officers than now. Further reductions while implementing the 12 hours shifts will just make things the same as they are now, with the exception of taxing the officers with the longer shifts and more fatigue. A recipe for disaster. As for the rest of the lay off hoopla, it seems completely disingenuous to "bargain" with the unions and get 20% concessions under the guise of "protecting their jobs and shared sacrifice" and then lay them off and continue to hire cronies at 6 figure salaries. Walling, Brown, Lock, and Jones collectively cost the City of Flint roughly a half million dollars a year. This is completely unacceptable. To round out my rant, it was my understanding that Brown was put in place to right the ship in Flint. Part of the plan for righting the ship should be increasing revenue. Increasing revenue requires an increase in residents and businesses. Instead, Brown is going to decrease services while increases costs to the remaining taxpayers. This will work opposite from the desired result. Instead of people moving into Flint, the remaining taxpayers are going to move out! Smart move. It is unbelievable that Uptown Development is continuing to be allowed to call all the shots in the City of Flint. Phil Shaltz and Ridgeway White are destroying the City of Flint under the guise of improving downtown. |
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:38 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Bossman- I hear there is continued talks on regionalization of the police.
If officers are laid off to be rehired at lower salaries in the regional police force, will that throw some officers and their familiees below the poverty level?
The Governor has yet to approve of this budget, could there be more cuts?
Who stopped the temporary employment of the 12 hour shift? If it was successful, why did Walling resist it . It was the Walling administration that pushed this. issue in the beginning.
I agree with you on the role of the Mott Foundation controlling the city. from the days of Charles Stewart Mott, this has been so. Their philanthropy is often genuine, but it frequently comes with a political payback. |
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:50 am |
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Bossman
F L I N T O I D
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Webs, there is a good chance that the officers will be closing in on poverty level based on the newest round of cuts. The numbers the administration always tried to portray were based on dividing the entire police budget by the number of sworn officers. This meant that any overtime, supplies, and civilian employees wages were being used to figure a police officers salary. Not even close to reality. I don't see how the department can absorb any further cuts.
The 12 hours shifts were stopped by the sergeants union. An analysis showed the cost savings I referred to above. An offer was made to have 12-hours shifts count toward the requested concessions and contract offers were made. Donna Poplar resisted and demanded more. 12-hours shifts became a bargaining chip and were ended for that purpose. The saddest thing with the public safety contracts and the administration is that considerable cuts were offerred to the administration from the very beginning. If they had been implemented the city could have realized millions in savings already. Many of these cuts could have been avoided. Walling didn't necessarily resist, but he was too naive to understand the implications. Walling is easily the dumbest smart guy I've ever met. |
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:00 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:05 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Closing 2 Flint fire stations could strain mutual aid agreements
Published: Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 10:00 AM
By Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com
Follow
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FLINT, MI -- If the city of Flint closes two of its five fire stations -- as proposed in the emergency manager's budget -- it could strain Flint's mutual aid agreements with nearby communities.
Burton Fire Chief Doug Halstead said the closures could force the Burton Fire Department to re-examine its agreement to assist Flint in emergencies.
"I think it's going to turn in to a problem," he said. "Depending on how often they used us or abused us would depend on whether we re-examine the agreement."
Halstead said he doesn't know how Flint's department would fight fire in the city -- let alone assist other local communities -- with the reductions proposed in emergency manager Michael Brown's budget plan.
About 30 firefighters are proposed to be laid off, bringing the department staffing to 62.
"I sympathize with them. I know they got major problems," he said. "With their situation with the way it is now and the burning and the crime that’s been going on, I think I would look to other directions if at all possible to make up the difference because public safety they surely can't afford to lose."
Brown's proposed public safety layoffs -- 19 police and 31 firefighters -- would only take effect if the city's expired grants are not renewed by July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. Applications for renewal are pending, officials said.
The federal SAFER grant currently pays for 39 firefighters in Flint, but is set to expire next month.
In 2010, several fire departments ended mutual aid with Flint during a rash of arsons following the announcement of firefighter layoffs and planned fire station closures.
Halstead said Burton and Flint currently have a good mutual aid agreement. He said Burton firefighters were on the scene Sunday for the fire at the Rosehaven Manor Retirement Community.
"We were there for them," he said. "I don't know what's to come."
Kristin Longley can be reached at 810-429-5333. You can also follow her on Twitter @KristinLongley or subscribe on Facebook |
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:07 am |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Dave Starr schreef:
Cutting public safety personnel is insanity.
Time to carry 24/7.
For sure just remember what happened to George Zimmerman and the railroading by the lamestream lib media. |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:05 pm |
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ALANDLORD
F L I N T O I D
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| This is the most outrageously stupid thing ever done in Flint. A raise in property taxes per parcel of $243? The average house in many parts of Flint is selling for around $2000 to $3000. So now these owners are expected to go from paying what was maybe $70 per year in taxes to over $300? This is a HUGE increase in property taxes which the property owners, especially the landlords, cannot possibly afford. This can only result in many times more abandoned houses, which will become stripped and burned down. This manager is no different than every other corrupt Flint politician. His solution to the problem is more costs to property owners. This has ALWAYS been Flint's solution to its continued decline for the last 15 years, and things just keep getting worse. You can't make things better in Flint be destroying everyone financially. You can't steal from people to pay your expenses. Cuts are the only solution. Pick up garage less often. Pick up leaves? Is this serious? Who gives a damn about leaves? I don't get leaves picked up in Grand Blanc! So, lets see if we can balance the budget in Flint by making things worse for everyone. Great idea, Mike Brown. After you get paid and retire, making sure your children eat well, will you care that we are all left starving? Will any politician in Michigan? |
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Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:58 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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You are right ALANDLORD!
Most of the rental properties, if not all, fall under the $55,000 price tag and will have higher taxes than in 2005, despite a tremendous drop in value.
Seniors in most area of the city are in worse shape. They can barely pay their water bills and taxes now. with the crime and other issues many of their families are encouraging these seniors to come live with them.
Landlords are already abandoning certain properties. More and more properties are being owned by landlords.
Salem Housing is stuck with a lot of homes that were supposed to be rehabs and lease/purchase. These homes will never be sold and they will harder to leae with an option to purchase. |
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Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:11 am |
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