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Steve Myers
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Flint City Council
2005-06 budget highlights
Additions
POLICE AND FIRE: About $1.2 million, including money for nine police recruits, six fire recruits and a fire department squad truck.
SUGAR MAPLE FARMS: $1 million set aside for a possible settlement in the on-going lawsuit over the stalled subdivision.
COUNCIL: About $570,000 to hire a budget analyst and add $380,000 for professional services. The council also voted to take the city attorney office space on the third floor, moving it into the mayor's office on the first.
RAINY-DAY FUND: $366,642
FLINT-GENESEE ECONOMIC GROWTH ALLIANCE: $140,000, increasing city funding of the economic development agency to $250,000.
Subtractions
BLOCK GRANT OVERSIGHT: About $1 million set aside for a possible plan with Genesee County to administer the city's federal block grant programs. A city official said Monday this would lead to seven layoffs. Council members say city workers could get jobs with the county.
LAW DEPARTMENT: Takes about $800,000 in general fund money and puts more than $1 million for outside attorneys under council purview for the first time. A city official said Monday these changes would lead to nine layoffs.
MAYOR'S OFFICE: Takes about $500,000 from the general fund to leave only enough money for the mayor, city administrator and a clerical person for each. This potentially means other support staff and appointees, such as governmental operations director Joe Conroy, would lose their jobs.
Sources: Flint City Council, city officials
By Christofer Machniak
cmachniak@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6304FLINT - The City Council rewrote key parts of the budget Monday night to take money, staff and power from Mayor Don Williamson - moves that are likely to ignite another budget war and end up before a judge.
The sweeping changes included gutting the budgets of the city attorney, the city administrator and the mayor in favor of additional funds for police and fire, the city clerk, district court, a rainy-day fund and the council itself.
The amendments also would give the council new financial oversight of the city's legal matters, prepare the city for a possible shift of the administration of federal block grant money to Genesee County and set aside $1 million to settle an ongoing lawsuit over the stalled Sugar Maple Farms subdivision.
"Unlike the mayor, who I think is more interested in his own self, small interest, this budget is about the " best interest of the greater community," said 6th Ward Councilman Mark A. Horrigan. "This budget " is not about what he wants to be done - this is about what needs to be done."
Williamson, who has been warring with the council for months over finances, said Monday night he wouldn't comment until he has a chance to review the amendments in writing. But his biggest supporter on the council, 1st Ward Councilman Darryl E. Buchanan, called the changes "punitive."
"This was sort of a knee-jerk reaction budget that they probably got off reading tarot cards," said Buchanan, the lone member to vote against the changes. "Budgets should have a flavor of complete professionalism, not professionalism on (one side) and punitive behavior on (the other). We should be more consistent."
With Monday's approval - which came on a 7-1 vote, with 2nd Ward Councilman Ed Taylor absent - Williamson has seven days to veto the budget amendments. The council would need at least six members to vote to override a veto. The budget is slated to take effect July 1.
Some council members expressed hope the two sides could work things out. Eighth Ward Councilman Lawrence B. Murphy said with the two sides outlining positions, maybe a deal can be reached.
"This budget is not cast in stone," Murphy said.
But the fight also could land in court. A budget struggle over mayoral staffing in the middle of the 2004-05 budget ended with Williamson suing to keep some of his appointees in place.
A key issue up for review now could be how the council approved the budget. The council approved changes by line item, which gives Williamson little flexibility in how he can spend money, unlike last year, when he had much more authority.
Ninth Ward Councilman Scott Kincaid said it would be irresponsible for the mayor to sue, noting the judge already told the council what it can do.
"The mayor needs to recognize the fact that he's either going to have to live within budget, veto this budget and hope to sustain enough votes so it's not overridden, or he's going to have to start working with the City Council," he said.
Full Story:
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-29/111816122391040.xml |
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Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:33 pm |
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