Budget Hearing Dec. 21

This morning's Courier News has a legal notice for a budget hearing on Dec. 21, as well as a synopsis of the introduced budget that reflects a 9.6 percent increase in the amount to be raised in local municipal taxes.

The hearing is 8 p.m. in City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Ave. An agenda-fixing session is also scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the same location.

The council is still in the process of interviewing department and division heads on their budget requests. No amendments have yet been formulated, nor has the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee given any recommendations.

City Council President Rashid Burney and Councilmen Adrian Mapp and Cory Storch have blogs on which they have posted various views and information on the budget process. Theoretically, public comments at the Dec. 21 hearing will also be part of the input before cuts are made. Residents can see the FY 2010 budget documents in the City Clerk's office, 515 Watchung Ave.

Dan Damon's blog, CLIPS, has links to all the other blogs.

Members of the governing body have stated the urgency of concluding the budget process soon, as the fiscal year began July 1, 2009 and salaries and expenses have now been paid out for nearly half a year, leaving less room for adjustments.

--Bernice