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Budget plan to be unveiled today
ATTLEBORO - While economic times remain hard, the general services side of the the city budget will be able to make ends meet without layoffs, furloughs or an appropriation from the stabilization account, Mayor Kevin Dumas told the city council's budget and appropriations committee Monday.
That's in contrast to bleak budget stories unfolding in surrounding towns.
Dumas said details of the $105 million spending plan will be unveiled today when he formally submits the fiscal year 2011 budget to the council.
"We're very, very happy with this budget and we're hoping you'll feel the same way," he said as the committee began to review individual department budgets. "Attleboro continues to fare very well compared with other communities."
Many area towns face layoffs and raids on rainy day funds to make ends meet. In Mansfield, school department layoffs loom and three public safety positions will be left unfilled.
In North Attleboro, school department layoffs are expected and the town side of government could lose the equivalent of three posts due to cutbacks in hours.
In Norton, selectmen Chairman Robert Kimball Jr. last week predicted "some drastic reductions in programs" starting July 1, and told residents not to expect a level-funded budget proposal. And the school committee Monday night said it will cut its budget request of a 0.98 percent increase above level funding before Norton's June 7 annual town meeting. The new request would be at or close to 2 percent below current spending.
The budget picture in Attleboro wasn't so pretty last year.
All general service employees took 10 furlough days or gave up cash equivalents to make the budget balance and save jobs.
Spending this year will be "level funded" with the exception of salaries, which will return to pre-furlough levels.
Level funding is usually considered a budget cut because of yearly cost increases.
Last year, in addition to furloughs, Dumas used $600,000 from the stabilization account, the city's stop-gap emergency account, to balance the fiscal year 2010 spending plan.
That won't be needed in fiscal year 2011, and the city will be able keep about $2.3 million in stabilization, he said.
The size of the stabilization account is considered a key sign of the city's overall financial health and $2.3 million is considered very good, under the circumstances. In addition to budget cutting measures last year, including the furloughs, spending was watched closely and yielded some much needed year-end cash.
Last week, Dumas asked the council to sweep $225,000 into the reserve account from various departments which have been able to come up with a surplus for the year. The money will be used to fund shortfalls in other departments.
When the mayor submits the budget tonight, it will signal the end of an intense five month process, he said.
The council will spend the next three weeks analyzing the plan and may recommend minor changes.
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for June 15.
Meanwhile, the school side of the budget at $58.3 million makes up well over half the total city budget, and needs to cut about $1.5 million to balance the spending plan. Layoffs in the school department could come unless some other resolution can be found.
The teacher's union refused to open negotiations to discuss pay concessions to help meet the deficit.
Fiscal year 2011 begins on July 1.
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