Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan has released his proposed FY 2020 city budget. The spending plan is projected at $349 million.
The budget forwarded to the city council calls for a real estate tax increase at the maximum of 2.5%. The city is not planning to collect additional tax money as part of the debt exclusion voters approved to construct the new BMC Durfee High School. Water and sewer fees will increase as will the stormwater fee. There are no plans to assess any additional fees to pay for trash and recycling collection.
The city is still unclear how it will use the lion’s share of its COVID-related funding as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The only reference in the budget is the use of $4.5 million dollars of ARP money to offset revenue losses from FY 2020. The city is still awaiting further guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department on how it can spend the $73 million dollars it will receive over the next two years in ARP funding.
The city is also planning to use $1.67 million dollars from its stabilization fund to pay for one-time expenditures.
The budget plans to reinstate vacant positions from FY 2020 that were not funded in the current FY 2021 spending plan. The mayor is also committed to restoring the ranks of public safety personnel to a complement of 235 police officers and 195 firefighters. Both police and firefighter union contracts have been settled and pay rates are reflected within the budget.
The budget funds public schools at a level that meets 100% of net school spending mandated by the state.
“We entered this budget faced with continuing uncertainty due to the unprecedented health crisis in our nation,” said Mayor Coogan in his budget message to the city council. “The impacts of COVID‐19 are not limited to the tragic loss of many lives but include long-lasting financial impacts to many of our residents and businesses. We are mindful of these impacts and accordingly have constructed a budget that is conservative in our projections while meeting the needs of our community.”
The city council will be holding public hearings on the budget and will vote to decide to make any cuts and approve a final spending plan prior to July 1.
View details of the city’s FY 2020 budget.
Comments are closed.