Sarno has criticized the council's budget cuts, saying they were irresponsible.
Springfield City Councilors Timothy Allen (top row, left), Michael Fenton (top right), John Lysak (bottom left) and Kateri Walsh (bottom right) at a press conference defended their decisions to cut $2.7 million from the fiscal 2012 Springfield budget submitted by Mayor Domenic Sarno.SPRINGFIELD – City councilors portrayed themselves Thursday as protectors of the city’s reserve funds and as responsible fiscal managers in response to the mayor’s criticism of budget cuts totaling $2.7 million.
In a press conference at City Hall, four councilors took turns reading from a three-page statement, defending the cuts, and invited Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to attend a council Finance Committee meeting next week to discuss the budget and related issues.
Sarno declined the invite, saying his “complete focus” is on rebuilding Springfield in the aftermath of the June 1 tornado. His finance team will attend, he said.
Sarno said last Friday that the budget cuts were irresponsible and potentially damaging to the city. The cuts include the layoff of 10 additional employees, reduced maintenance of vehicles and equipment and reduced mowing.
Councilors said the cuts were reasonable, and will help keep a sufficient amount of funds in the city’s stabilization “rainy day” reserve fund. The mayor was seeking to take $10.5 million from the stabilization fund to help balance the budget, an amount rejected by the council.
The reserve fund now totals $43.7 million, but councilors said the city faces millions of dollars in expenses from the tornado and a prior harsh winter, even with expected state and federal aid.
“We believe an important part of our job is to provide fiscal oversight and to protect our savings,” the council statement read.
Councilors said they hope their 5 percent cut in all non-salary accounts, totaling $1.7 million, can leave the highest priority items intact.
Councilors attending the press conference were Michael A. Fenton, Timothy C. Allen, Kateri B. Walsh, and John A. Lysak. Fenton, finance committee chairman, said some other councilors also supported the statement but were unable to attend the press conference.
Fenton and council president Jose Tosado previously defended the cuts, saying the cuts were reasonable and necessary in difficult financial times.
The Finance Committee plans to meet Tuesday at 5:15 p.m., at City Hall, and Fenton said he does not understand why the mayor had time for a press conference on the budget cuts last Friday, but no time to meet with the council.
Domenic J. SarnoSarno said he looks forward to working with the council.
During their press conference, councilors also defended an increase in their salary, from $13,050 to $14,500.
Fenton and Allen said the council was returning to its former salary after taking a voluntary pay cut for four years, and that it was the mayor who recommended the salary in his proposed budget.
The city budget, after the council cuts, is $542.2 million and took effect July 1.
The Finance Committee next week will discuss the mayor’s proposal to increase the hotel/motel tax and increase the city’s demand fee for delinquent taxpayers.
The councilors also said they disagree with Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet’s decision to lay off four police cadets in response to an approximate $101,000 cut from the police salary account. The councilors instead wanted the funds cut from two vacant clerical positions, but Fitchet said he needed to fill the vacancies, officials said.