Norwich residents don’t want budget cut
Norwich — The City Council heard some harsh criticism from residents Monday opposing proposed budget cuts — especially to the school budget, Otis Library, Human Services and the city fire department — prior to setting the preliminary budget.
After nearly two hours of public comments, aldermen wrangled over significant budget cuts that many of the speakers said amounted to pennies per day in tax savings. Aldermen continued to deliberate on the budget late Monday night as they worked to set preliminary budget totals prior to next Monday’s second budget hearing.
Last week, Republican aldermen submitted a list of proposed budget cuts to City Manager John Salomone’s $123.9 million budget. The new proposed cuts called for another $740,000 cut to the school budget, a $130,000, 10 percent cut to the Otis Library budget and cutting a second Human Services caseworker and a battalion chief from the central city fire department.
In total, the cuts would have reversed a 0.73-mill tax increase called for in Salomone’s budget to a 0.14-mill decrease.
Several speakers called the cut to Otis Library “embarrassing” as it came one week after Otis received national recognition as one of the top five libraries in the nation, receiving a 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Services.
“Don’t punish Otis Library,” resident Elanah Sherman said to the council. “Please, like the rest of the country, celebrate it.”
Former Democratic Alderman Francois “Pete” Desaulniers said the council would be “slapping everything down” with the proposed cuts.
“The cut in the Otis Library,” Desaulniers said. “I look at that and say ‘really?’”
Several speakers said the cut of a caseworker in the Human Services office would save a taxpayer 39 cents per month in tax money, while hitting the city’s neediest residents and reversing the successes the city agency and other local private nonprofit agencies have made in reducing homelessness.
Norwich Human Services works closely with Reliance House, local churches and other entities to provide services and reduce duplication, speakers told the council. Chantel Gibson, a homeless outreach worker at Reliance House, said her agency too has seen staffing and budget cuts.
“I have been a witness to the amazing services they provide,” Gibson said.
Jillian Corbin, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Place, said Norwich Human Services is a key component in the regional Community Care Team, addressing families in crisis and reducing homelessness.
Human Services Director Lee Ann Gomes said with the loss of staffing from three caseworkers to one — would mean the department would risk losing some $ 900,000 in revenue the department brings to the city in various programs. For example, she said, her office received $ 80,000 in emergency fuel assistance funds for Norwich residents to help pay utility bills.
“Without us,” she said, “that money will go to Hartford and New Haven.”
Former City Council President Bonnie Hong presented the council with her own set of dramatic budget changes she said would save $1.4 million without layoffs. She proposed closing the Laurel Hill Volunteer Fire Department, merging the Taftville and Occum volunteer departments and increasing the 10 percent revenue share that Norwich Public Utilities pays to the city. Hong also questioned the 10 percent calculation anticipating for the coming budget year, saying the amount could be more than $1 million short.