Long Branch council adopts $47.8M budget

Long Branch council adopts $47.8M budget
CFO warns cuts may be needed next year
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH — The City Council approved the $47.8 million budget last week after waiting for the state to review the spending plan.

The vote was 3-1 in favor at the June 23 council meeting, with Councilman Brian Unger voting against the 2009 budget. Councilman Anthony Giordano was absent for the vote.A

ccording to Chief Finance Officer Ronald Mehlhorn Sr., the proposed budget is an increase of about $2.8 million over last year's approved $45 million budget.

The tax rate would increase by 2 cents to 59.6 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

"That equates to about $100 more a year for the average home assessed at just under $500,000," Mehlhorn said.

The tax levy is $30,515,934, an increase of $1,247,288 from last year but below the stated-mandated cap that sets the maximum increase at 4 percent. Last year's tax levy was $29,268,646.

Some of the larger increases in this year's budget are: $15,266 in increases in salaries and wages in the office of the chief administrator; $27,933 in salaries, wages and other expenses in the division of parks; and $342,573 in increases for salaries, wages and other expenses within the police department.

Unger voted against introduction of the budget as well as voting against its approval.

In May, Unger suggested cuts to the budget, such as cutting administrative clerk positions, including the mayor's secretary, which he said would save about $49,000, as well as cutting $100,000 in fees paid to the city's labor counsel, while arguing for allocating $45,000 to televise council meetings.

During the public portion of the council meeting, some residents weren't satisfied with the approved budget.

"The taxpayers of this town are looking at a debt of $48 million and counting," Long Branch resident Diana Multare said during the meeting. "And I will continue to count, because the taxpayers of this town need to know how much they owe and why."

While the budget was finally passed, Multare said she would continue to scrutinize the spending plan.

"Tonight is going to be the final public hearing on the budget, but I personally intend to keep looking at it," Multare said.

Mehlhorn said in an interview last week that some of those who complained are misinformed.

"The public has raised several concerns, but has not really asked for an explanation," Mehlhorn said.

Among the issues raised at council meetings was the recent hiring of someone in the fire department during a hiring freeze.

"People keep mentioning the hiring freeze and the hiring of a full-time employee in the fire department," Mehlhorn said. "We didn't add any new money for that position.

"We had a temporary worker who we made full time," he added.

Mehlhorn went on to say that the alternative might be far worse for Long Branch.

"People can complain, but what if we have to shut down the firehouse?" Mehlhorn said. "I think people would be more up in arms about that."

According to Mehlhorn, the city did nothing wrong and the hiring did not affect the budget.

"There have been no violations of our hiring freeze in the

firehouse," Mehlhorn said. "It's just been a matter of semantics."

Another matter of contention has been the allocation of overtime hours in the budget.

Multare has been outspoken about municipal employees' overtime hours, contending that they should have been drastically reduced.

"Now from my point of view, in an economic downturn you need to shrink items like overtime dramatically," Multare said. "And I mentioned last time that there was one effective way to reduce overtime, specifically in terms of the police department, and that has to do with overlapping schedules.

"I mentioned that and got nothing but blank stares and no response, no inquiries," she added.

Mehlhorn disagreed.

"It's easy to look in hindsight about overtime," Mehlhorn said. "For example, when someone is out sick in the police department, you need someone to work overtime in their place."

While this may have been a difficult year in which to create a budget, Mehlhorn may not be looking forward to next year's budget.

"This year's budget was in the top two or three in tough budgets," Mehlhorn said. "I can't even comprehend how difficult next year's budget will be."

According to Mehlhorn, if the economy doesn't turn around soon, cuts will likely have to be made.

"With the situation with the economy, I could see some big cuts happening next year," Mehlhorn said. "Next year might be difficult if everything stays the same."

However, Mehlhorn said the city doesn't want the cuts to cost jobs.

"Our policy is that we don't want to contribute to the poor economy by laying people off," Mehlhorn said, adding, "But there is a point where we are going to have to consider the taxpayers and make some cuts at some places."

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com.


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