Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Under the governor's budget plan, the restaurant tax would go from 8 percent to 10 percent next year.
When it comes to Gov. Chafee's proposal to increase the restaurant tax from 8 percent to 10 percent, restaurant owners in Rhode Island have strong feelings. “This is a second restaurant tax,” said Matt Wronski, owner of Tio Mateo’s and Greenwich Bay Gourmet in East Greenwich. “First they added a percentage point that was going to be temporary,” he said, referring to the increase from 7 percent to 8 percent in 2003, when Gov. Carcieri was governor. That 1 percent, which is still collected, goes back to cities and towns. Chafee's 2 percent increase would go to funding education on the local level. “Once they get their fingers in your pocket, they don’t let go,” said Wronski. “I’m from Detroit. I’ve seen this movie and it doesn’t turn out …
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Alliance for a Livable Newport's (ALN) treasurer Ron Becker presented his opinions of Newport’s 2012 budget in his fifth annual financial review.
The Alliance for a Livable Newport held a public meeting at the Newport Public Library on Thursday evening to discuss the City of Newport's 2012 budget. ALN Treasurer Ron Becker commended the city for closing a $8.2 million gap after the initial pass of the budget. “I now find myself in the unaccustomed position of praising the city administration for tackling the problem head on and proposing a very tough budget with major cuts,” Becker said. “My praise for the city administration also extends to the city council for adopting the administration’s proposed budget without any significant modifications.” To close that gap, Becker reported the following steps were taken: Becker pointed out that although the Newport home owner’s will pay 3.88…
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The approved budget proposal gave $1.2 million in firefighter overtime while other departments struggled to cut costs.
In what Mayor Stephen Waluk referred to as “a tremendous disappointment" during Wednesday night's city council meeting, the adopted budget allocated $1.2 million towards firefighter overtime. The budget proposal originally called for $500,000 in overtime to cover a reduced staff of 17 firefighters per shift. Due to a legal dispute over the expired firefighter contract, which requires 20 firefighters per shift in the summer and 19 per shift in the winter, the extra $700,000 was allotted to total the $1.2 million. “The biggest cost driver in this budget is our fire department, and because we don’t have a contract with that fire union that works with the city of Newport, the entire city takes a hit,” Waluk said. Waluk said it is …
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Friday, May 27, 2011
The recommended operating budget would cut 20 positions or leave them vacant.
A public hearing at Wednesday night’s city council meeting for the recommended $78.3 million FY 2011-2012 operating budget was met with little discussion. Mayor Stephen Waluk, who made the motion to eliminate the 3 percent pay raise for certain management personnel, said it would send the wrong message to increase salaries for some employees, while simultaneously eliminating or leaving vacant 20 positions. “We can’t say we don’t have money, raise water taxes, then pick and choose who receives more money,” he said. The budget would eliminate or leave vacant the recreation director, deputy assessor and facilities manager positions, two police clerk typists and a public service dispatcher. There was no public comment on the position cuts. The…
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Newport School Committee presented their tentative budget to the City Council on Wednesday, which included cutting 17 school employees.
The Newport School Committee and the City Council came to a head Wednesday night during a joint meeting to discuss the school committee’s tentative budget. During the meeting, Superintendent John Ambrogi requested a one percent decrease from this year’s budget, or $23.1 million of the $36.7 million total FY 2012 budget request. The school committee proposal included a $754,054 shortfall. The decrease, Ambrogi said, was the result of eliminating 17 staff positions in the public school system. The school department proposed savings from eliminating a Thompson Middle School clerk, an Underwood School para-educator, two elementary teachers and two maintenance staff, totaling $353,011. Eliminating grant funded positions, including a World of …
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The City Council reviewed the 2012 budget for the five Enterprise Fund Programs (water, sewer, beach, parking and maritime). Under the new proposals, water and sewer customers will incur significant rate hikes over the next four years.
The Newport City Council held a workshop on Monday evening at City Hall to review the 2012 budget for the city’s Enterprise Fund Programs (EFPs). These revenue generating programs are designed to enhance the value of Newport as a tourist destination, the council said. The five programs discussed were the Maritime Fund, Easton’s Beach Fund, Parking Fund, Department of Utilities Water Fund and Department of Utilities Water Pollution Control Fund. The Newport Department of Utilities water and water pollution proposals included substantial rate increases required to fund the water treatment plant project and sewer repair projects. The Easton’s Beach Fund and the Parking Fund reported projected revenues will cover expected operating expenses. …
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City of Newport City Hall
43 Broadway, Newport, RI
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Jack Baillargeron
2:13 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Easy answer, because our governor is an Idiot, As well as the DEM controlled Legislature (for over 75 years now). No-one upstate knows or wants to cut government in this state. It is my belief they are all spayed or nutured up there. With Chafee it has always been obvious by the way. Those who think this may be harsh or out of line, have probably never met an talked to this piece of work, I have … more ›