Editorial: Whose side are they on?

Wednesday, 25 November 2009 01:00

The Republican regime may not be in power yet, but the Republicans serving on the Town Board now — with considerable Democratic help — are not doing their best to deliver on the mandate of lower taxes that led their party to a landslide election victory earlier this month.

While Democratic Town Supervisor Edward Brancati abstained from voting on the budget because it did not have enough cuts, the rest of the board is more intent on saving some part-time positions and six days of furlough a year for town employees than in reducing the significant tax increase. All of this while they are apparently fine with large cuts to police and library financing — two of the town services the public relies upon the most.

It is unfortunate to advocate eliminating jobs, but in these dire times with the town facing a substantial deficit, the municipal government must undergo what has been happening for more than a year already in the private sector: cuts to pay and positions. The Town Board, though, seems to lack the fortitude to follow through with the part-time clerical cuts and the 12-day furloughs that Town Supervisor Edward Brancati included in his budget proposal because of the burden they would place on the remaining employees, many of whom they know well. So they are instead shifting the onus to residents.

The cost to add back these positions and reduce the furloughs from 12 days to six is about $275,000. At the same meeting, the board proposed reducing financial aid to the library by $40,000, which would result in the library shutting its doors on Sundays and Mondays. It also remains willing to eliminate a police shift, which would leave only one local patrol on duty for many hours during the day. The police ranks are already thin, as the town is saving about $100,000 by enveloping the youth officer and chief responsibilities into one position. In all, these moves would leave the tax increase at about 25%.

Town employees claim that cutting their part-time employees will increase their workload to the point where revenue will suffer. That is difficult to gauge but indications are any loss in revenue will pale in comparison to the savings created by eliminating those jobs. Even with some revenue loss taken into account, the part-time cuts and 12-day furloughs would allow for the town to not cut library funding and keep its doors open, leave two police patrols on the road, and lower the tax increase. Or the money could be used entirely to offset taxes, which would put the tax increase for 2010 at less than 20%. Either choice seems to be a better option for residents.

Is this a glimpse into what we should expect from the new Republican regime come January? They ran a successful lower taxes campaign earlier this month but their party seems more willing to protect town employees than the wallets and safety of voters. Adding to the worry is that the two newly elected Town Board members have not been seen at Town Board meetings, despite taking office in a month.

But the blame crosses partisan lines and lands firmly at the feet of both Republicans and Democrats. Their latest actions prove that board members from both parties apparently agree that the public’s protection, education, and financial well-being are all low on their list of priorities.