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When have you last heard a voluntary cost reduction or efficiency suggestion from either the Council or School Committee to stabilize or reduce expenses? You would think that they are in the best position to offer creative savings opportunities. Instead every year we are asked for more money, principally for salaries and benefits. Here are a few suggestions for reducing expenditures and improving efficiency: Thank you for your ideas. Keep them coming and let me know if you want your name cited. - Mike Cullen, moderator
City
- Stop the exceedingly generous union contract giveaways that have been continuing for years. With benefits, the average municipal and school employee is getting annual increases of at least 7%. Many receive far more and I am not even including step increases. If you are a non-government employee have you ever worked for a company that automatically gives you a 3.5% annual salary increase? Cadillac style health insurance for life, with little or no co-pay after only 10 years service? (Fred Faerber)
- Eliminate “buyback” options for healthcare benefits. This will eventually save the city at least $500,000. (Fred Faerber)
School
- The School Committee has submitted a budget that, as of this writing, exceeds the city manager’s recommendation by $1.6 million (in part, to stay within the state mandated cap of 5.5%). I suggest the School Committee stand firm on its budget and force a programmatic review of the department’s budget by the state Department of Education, even if court ordered. We need an outside review of our school system to satisfy taxpayers that money is being spent efficiently. I don’t think there is any acceptable excuse for not doing this. Every year we see the charade of a “final” school budget that can’t be cut submitted to the council, rejected and ultimately cut. Sometimes, as last year, we see new Federal funds magically appearing. I would venture that less than 20%-30% of the city taxpayers even have a stake in the school system anymore. Fifty percent of the students in our school system are from low income families. How are we going to continue to rally support from taxpayers in a city where those demographics are not likely to change as
Newport
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