From the Poughkeepsie Journal
February 3, 2010

 Arlington needs simple review to cut soaring fire budget

I have attended all Arlington Fire District (AFD) Board of Fire Commissioners meetings since the budget workshop, Sept. 3, 2009. The budget increase of 60 percent over the past six years, $9.3 million to nearly $15.1 million, spurred me to attend. I read with interest the Valley Views column by AFD Commissioner Ann Bollmann ("Fire district is doing its best to lower costs," Dec. 22). Bollmann says "we are attempting to keep these taxes reasonable," but who can agree that taxes are reasonable at an average increase of 10 percent a year? Only two of five commissioners attended the budget workshop, and only those two seemed to know any of the details when the proposed budget was adopted. Bollmann, whose five-year term is up in December 2010, was not one of them.

In my analysis of AFD spending, it was obvious that tight fiscal control has not been in place, evidenced by line items that have overrun year after year, like the Conventions & Travel budget. When this budget item was exceeded by more than 100 percent for 2007 and 2008, did commissioners take a closer look at cutting travel expenses? No. Instead, they doubled the amount budgeted for 2009 and then exceeded that amount. And the old emergency telephone number, 845-471-1313, replaced by 911, was still going to have $2,000 budgeted for 2010 as it had since 2007. Only after I questioned this expense at a budget meeting was it removed. It was easy for me to do a cursory review and document a list of suggestions to lower the 2010 budget.

The AFD should be more forthcoming about how it is using our money. Most of the spending reviews are done in executive session.

While it has been responsive to my Freedom of Information Law requests, it's up to the resident to dig for information. In an effort to make the fire commissioners meetings more accessible, the Poughkeepsie Town Board offered the use of the Town Hall meeting room or use of a portable video camera so the AFD could record its meetings for viewing on local municipal TV. The AFD Board of Fire Commissioners rejected the offer.

The overtime budget of $2 million has sharply increased about $600,000 in two years. Bollmann explains that hiring additional staff would cost even more long term, considering the salary, benefits and retirement cost burden.

However, no one has explained the full business case and why this model is best for taxpayers. The highest individual overtime pay for 2009 was $50,711 and the median $20,151. That is over and above base pay.

Vassar College drives 10 percent of AFD calls, alluded to by Bollmann. If Vassar paid for 10 percent of the budget, that would be about $1.5 million, but Vassar is tax exempt. Bollmann urges us to write our state representatives to help change laws that would ease the tax burden, but she neglects to tell us what laws need changing and what, specifically, to ask for. Why hasn't the AFD negotiated yearly with Vassar for a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT)?

The fact is that the AFD has been free of public scrutiny. Now that taxes have increased so dramatically over the past six years, it has drawn the public's attention and inspection.

While it is expensive to run a responsive fire and ambulance service, some simple budget management and belt-tightening desperately needs to be implemented.

It is the responsibility of the commissioners to manage the budget. The budget increases can be turned around. I challenge the Board of Fire Commissioners to implement zero-based budgeting and to run the district like a business, watching every penny of expense. Holding the budget close to flat for 2011 would be strong evidence that commissioners are serious about lowering costs. If not, taxpayers should use their vote each December to make changes to the Board of Fire Commissioners.

 by Doreen A. Tignanelli