Dear Citizens and Board of Aldermen Colleagues:
Following submission
by the Mayor of a proposed tax override of $23.9 million to the Board
of Aldermen early this year, and extensive subsequent
discussion of alternative proposals from different sources, the Board
of Aldermen eventually approved a ballot item for an operating override
for $12 million, and Newton taxpayers will vote on this very important
item on May 20th.
When the Board
approved the ballot item for the override in March, I stated that
I could not support any operational override unless
and until the Executive
Department could demonstrate in a persuasive way that they have taken seriously
the immediate need to identify how the City of Newton can be more efficient
and effective in providing the services that we all need, require, and deserve.
As a result I docketed the following item before the Board. I was pleased
that the Programs & Services Committee and the full Board approved
this item without dissent.
#111-08 ALD. JOHNSON
and PARKER offering a RESOLUTION to the Mayor, President of the Board
of Aldermen, and Chair of the School Committee
that a joint committee be established immediately in order to develop
specific and detailed tactics and strategies to improve the City’s
operational efficiency and effectiveness and such will be reported
to the Board of Aldermen, School Committee and the public before any
vote is taken by the citizens of Newton for any operational and/or
debt exclusion override.
On May 13th, Mayor
Cohen announced the establishment of a fourteen (14) member Citizen’s Advisory Committee consisting of distinguished
citizens to implement the resolution, charged with this task, to produce
a final report at the end of CY’08. At last, there is a commitment
by the Mayor and all Departments to carefully examine, in detail, how
we currently do business and how we can make changes and improvements.
I trust that all aspects of our government will be examined and there
will be no “sacred cows.”
To provide oversight
and ensure that this Advisory Committee is carrying out the tasks
intended by the Board of Aldermen, the following item
was passed by the Board. This sets a requirement that a report will
be made on a monthly basis, to the Programs & Services Committee
of the Board of Aldermen.
ALD. JOHNSON and
PARKER requesting regularly scheduled updates and discussion each
month in regard to the offering a RESOLUTION to the
Mayor, President of the Board of Aldermen, and Chair of the School
Committee that they, during the budget development and review process,
identify short term tactics to improve the City’s operational
efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, they establish a citizen
advisory group to assist in planning for
additional tactics and strategies to improve the City’s operational
efficiency and effectiveness in future fiscal years, and report progress
to the Board of Aldermen, School Committee and the public before any
vote is taken by the citizens of Newton for any operational override.
Having put in
place a process to address the larger and longer term items, what
about the immediate situation - what can be done today,
right now? We cannot leave any stone unturned, any opportunity for
savings neglected. Based on the information I have been able to gather,
Department Heads were not instructed by the Mayor to identify tactical/low-hanging
fruit as it relates to cost savings for FY’09 which starts on
July 1st 2008. I have come to this conclusion after listening to the
budget presentations of Health & Human Services, the Library, Senior
Services, Law Department, School Department, Parks & Recreation,
Human Resources, Assessment, Treasury, Information Technology, and
Purchasing.
These budget presentations focused on what the department and ultimately
the citizens stand to lose if the override does not pass. In only a
very few instances, when prompted by the Aldermen, did a department
head mention steps they may consider to identify efficiencies and remove
redundancies that could reduce costs. This is a serious omission, and
reflects a lack of leadership from the Executive Department.
Now that Mayor Cohen has announced that he will not run for re-election
November 2009, and we have a growing field of potential candidates
expressing their interest in running for the office of Mayor, perhaps
we can hope for a new atmosphere and more openness to change at City
Hall. I believe that regardless of whether the override passes or not
on May 20th, it is absolutely critical that the Mayor, Department Heads
and the Board of Aldermen identify where efficiencies can be achieved
and what cuts can be made now, before the current budget is passed.
We, your elected
officials, need to regain the trust of Newton’s
taxpayers, and the time is now. Having said that, I am endorsing the
override, because the structural deficit is real and we must take action
now to correct the situation. But I will be looking at ways to reduce
and reallocate costs starting with the current FY’09 budget,
in the hope that we might not have to use the entire $12 million. The
financial situation is serious and long-term, and calls for action
not just to raise tax revenue, but to make fundamental changes in every
aspect of City operations. It is my commitment to you, and one that
you should expect of all of your elected officials. Whether the override
is approved or not, it does not constitute a ‘blank check’ and
permission to go back to business as usual. So I reach out to my colleagues
on the Board of Aldermen and School Committee and ask you to seriously
consider what can we do now to begin fixing Newton’s financial
problems, as we wait for the Citizens Advisory Committee to complete
its work.
