On the evening of November 18, 2009 Town of Poughkeepsie Republican Councilmen fell all over themselves with delusional self-congratulatory praise because they made it appear as if they cut the budget. Yet they did not cut taxes; they merely shifted or postponed ledger entries. $270,000 of savings came from the police department because replacement by lower earning hirees of retiring officers will be staggered throughout the year. An additional $200,000 was taken from the Town’s rainy day fund. Costs were shifted to the Water Department.

Republicans seemingly declared the recession over and projected increased fees from building and planning because of “recent increased activity”; however in the next breath “due to the lack of activity” they transferred one part time employee from the Building Department to a vacancy at the Water Department and cut another part timer. Unverified insurance rate decreases which may not include the 4% surcharge were called into the board 3 hours before the meeting. Services, including legal, were outsourced with no regard to consequences, quality control, or cost containment beyond the projections.

But the most illusory projections of revenues were based on increased fees which have not been considered or voted on by the Board. The Republicans plan to pass on actual costs of all Town employees and staff to those who come before the planning and zoning boards. If Supervisor Myers recommended this, Republicans would call it anti-business, anti-growth, and accuse her of making business in the Town of Poughkeepsie more costly, but for Republicans it is business as usual.

Listen for yourself. The budget discussion begins about 30 minutes in.

Gary Levine -Chair