The discussion over how the City of Saratoga Springs will pay for a new police station, answer the question of paid parking downtown and seek refuge from darkening fiscal clouds was renewed at the City Council table on Tuesday, April 21, as Finance Commissioner Kenneth Ivins presented his mid-year budget update.
The city relied on a number of one-time revenues and an infusion from the contingency fund to keep a zero percent tax hike for the 2009 budget. Factoring in a total loss of VLT aid, that amounts to $3.2 million that will not be arriving next year, said Ivins. A 20 percent property tax hike or deep budget cuts would be needed to close that gap.
Undertaking the construction of a new public safety facility, long on the city’s agenda, without significant new revenue generators would put the budget even further behind.
It’s pretty easy folks, it’s just like your home budget. You have to cut costs or go get another job, said Ivins.
Also troubling is that sales tax receipts for January and February are down 6.7 percent compared to the same period in 2008. Ivins speculated that might change as the year progresses, though.
Accounts Commissioner John Franck disagreed, saying this year’s estimates were drafted when commodity and gas prices were high.
`I will kiss your ass in front of Starbucks’ window if we meet our sales tax numbers,` he remarked. Franck said that budget workshops in May will require a lot of work from all the commissioners.
`If we don’t, we’re not going to have to worry about a tea party, it’s going to be even worse,` he said.
Ivins discussed the possibility of offering incentives for early retirement or undergoing layoffs in his presentation. Early retirement would allow the city to bring new employees in at base pay while letting highly paid veterans go, but there was some question as to whether this would present a cost savings after health care for outgoing workers is accounted for.
`We have to weigh all the numbers before we make the final decision,` said Ivins.
Salvation may lie in the arrival of a GlobalFoundries microchip manufacturing facility in Malta, which is expected to drive additional growth and taxes into Saratoga County. That won’t solve the upcoming budget cycle, though.
`It’s going to take probably two years before we start seeing the effect, and four years before we see the full effect,` said Ivins.
It is becoming increasingly clear that enacting a system of paid parking in the downtown area would go a long way toward relieving the city of its mounting fiscal burdens. Various estimates say it could bring the city anywhere from $2 to $4.5 million annually, depending on the scope and terms.
Paid parking came to the forefront when several developers suggested it as a way to pay for the police station. Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim is standing behind a plan by local builder Bonacio Construction that promises no cost impact to the city.
Ivins presented his own concept for making paid parking work. He suggested that the size of the proposed High Rock parking garage be scaled down to 700 spaces, and to build the Woodlawn parking garage as per Bonacio’s proposal.
Other twists included keeping street parking free, but doubling fines for exceeding the time limit; restricting time limits to draw people to paid parking and keeping vehicles turning over; and offering yearly passes that add one hour to all areas. Those passes could also be sold to merchants at a discount, then resold to seasonal visitors.
Throughout his presentation, Ivins made it clear that he was soliciting the input of the public when it comes to paid parking and the budgeting process.
`I’m looking for the public to start discussing this,` said Ivins, who added that he has already heard impassioned arguments for and against paid parking. `I’ve heard the whole gamut already, just in the last three weeks.`
Under city charter, the council must adopt a budget for the coming year by Nov. 30.
During the public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting, former Building Inspector Lauritz Rasmussen came forward to say that the city’s planned indoor recreation center does not comply with New York State building codes, and that he was terminated for raising his concerns.
Rasmussen was fired on Thursday, April 16. The city is seeking building permits for a 33,000-square-foot recreation facility that recently cleared its final legal hurdles.
`I have no agenda for or against the rec center, honestly I don’t know enough about it, said Rasmussen. `All I’m asking for is a safe building for the rec center, which conforms with New York State building code.`
He said that the plans violate Chapter 26 of the building code, which pertains to fire safety. He recommended that independent certification that the materials used in the rec center are non-combustible be attained.
Rasmussen named Deputy Mayor Shauna Sutton and City Attorney Joseph Scala as being `hostile` toward him. He added that the office of building inspector should be controlled by the City Council as a whole, not just by one member.
Mayor Scott Johnson responded briefly to deny the claims, and added, `It is improper for Mr. Rasmussen to come here and make those accusations in a public forum.“