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| Mayor to City: Cut your budgets |
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Magnolia Mayor Jimmy Thornton sent a clear-cut message to City Hall employees Aug. 25 asking for tightened budgets for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
The order comes in the midst of an unstable economy and the most recent audit, as of September 2008, showing the city $126,000 in the red. Thornton made the request to police chief Paul Michna, Judge John Purvis and City Administrator Ryan Kelley, asking that they review their respective budgets for the 2009-10 fiscal year and “trim the fat,” requesting they cut out between $25,000 and $30,000. “Get back with me as soon as possible,” Thornton said. The mayor asked that the budgets be finished before the next council meeting Sept. 8. Michna told Thornton and council he would take a major pay cut from his own $52,000-a-year salary if it assured his police officers would get what he said were standard raises that they deserved. “I want to make sure my employees are taken care of,” Michna said. Kelley assured the council that they would have a balanced budget and that he was “not sure we have fat,” but assured Thornton he would do what he could. “The budget will be very lean,” Kelley said, adding “we need to take care of our team. We’re all one.” A public hearing for the proposed 49-cent tax rate was held, but there were no comments from the public. The council took action on the tax rates, voting unanimously on both to accept the total 49-cent rate, which is a combination of 0.3119 cents for maintenance and operations and 0.1795 cents for debt service. The 2009-10 tax rates and budget will be formally adopted by the city at the Sept. 29 council meeting.
Comments (3)
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written by exposed, September 01, 2009
A clear cut message from the Mayor asking that we tighten our belts only because of the problems they (COUNCIL) created by over spending last year. I wonder what this year’s Audit will reveal. The email, reference Audit 2009 said the report will show just how FISCALLY responsible your council NEEDS to be given the current financial state of the City. 2008 -126K, when will we find out about 2009 Audit?
Michna said, “I want to make sure my employees are taken care of.” THIS is amazing they have been taken care of ever since City Manager Carlisle and the COUNCIL voted to raise their pay (increase anywhere from 15 to 25 %) when Cunningham took over. I think the police department has been taken care for some time to come. Kelley a*sured the council that they would have a balanced budget and that he was “not sure we have fat,” but a*sured Thornton he would do what he could. Kelley has never been sure of anything since he has been here! As a manager you MAKE CUTS! The City was NOT in this kind of shape several years ago when then Councilman Sutherland demanded and council agreed to lay employees OFF. The Council said, everyone will have to pitch in. Was the lay off a necessity or was this a way to get rid of employee’s Council didn’t want? After the lay off the City then hired Cunningham and increased salary’s and staff. Don’t let our elected officials con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like “the economy,” “inflation,” or “politics” that prevent them from doing what they took an oath to do. They (Council) and they alone made DECISIONS to put us where we are.
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 31 August 2009 08:40 ) |
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Michna told Thornton and council he would take a major pay cut from his own $52,000-a-year salary if it a*sured his police officers would get what he said were standard raises that they deserved.
“I want to make sure my employees are taken care of,” Michna said.
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What part of cut budget did the police chief not understand? No one is going to cut the police chief's salary, that is just a ploy.