Resident Leslie Navarrete chided the Board of Aldermen and Mayor David Cassetti for violating the city charter’s budget regulations by not giving the public enough time to review the budget, which was only unveiled last week even though the new fiscal year starts July 1.
She said the Aldermen failed to fulfill their role to provide a check and balance on the mayor when it came to preparing a timely budget.
“You’re infringing on the rights of the people you are supposed to represent by limiting our opportunity to review the proposed budget and actively participate in this year’s budgetary process,” Navarrete said. “When will it end? When will you do your real jobs you were called to do? Your silence allows for poor government to continue.”
The public hearing, including Navarrete’s comment, can be viewed in the video embedded at the top of this story.
The proposed budget, if approved in its current form, will cause the average single-family residential tax bill to increase by about $75, according to Ansonia City Hall. A copy of the budget is available here.
Lori Vaccaro, the president of the Board of Aldermen, told The Valley Indy he was surprised to see such a low turnout at Tuesday’s public hearing.
Vaccaro said he doesn’t think that means everyone in Ansonia is happy with the budget — but a “silent majority” support the Cassetti administration’s efforts to move the city forward.
“This is not a political budget. If it was a political budget we just would have went with a zero-percent tax increase,” he said.
Vaccaro said the city hired Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller as a budget consultant this year. He attributed the blown budget deadlines to Miller working closely and carefully with staff to craft a good budget.
“I’m in City Hall every day. I will tell you up until the last minute last week they were working on this budget, actively looking for ways to save the taxpayers money,” Vaccaro said.
Here is a list of upcoming budget meetings. All meeting are open to the public (as is every government meeting).
The first meeting of the Aldermanic Finance Committee and BOAT to review the budget is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12.
The second meeting of the folks above is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 13.
An “open house” meeting of the Aldermen and BOAT (tax board) is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 15 until 12 p.m. and the Ansonia Senior Center on Main Street.
The THIRD meeting of Aldermanic Finance Committee and BOAT is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 17 at City Hall
Publication of draft budget in a publication that isn’t The Valley Indy: Tuesday, June 18
If needed, fourth meeting of Aldermanic Finance Committee and BOAT, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19 at City Hall
FINAL public hearing/Final meeting of the Board of Aldermen and BOAT to approve budget, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, Ansonia Senior Center, Main Street.