2006-03-20 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

78 Ms. Bettie Amiss, 1501 Chesapeake Street, requested that funding for the large item pickup be reinstated. She said the City should not need to replace IT equipment as recommended, and she asked for more information on the IT replacement. Ms. Jacki Bryant, Executive Director of Children, Youth and Family Services, said CYFS is pleased to be recommended for funding. She said that due to an error on the part of CYFS, the funding was reduced even though a high rating was received. She said that unless the $29,710 is provided 73 families will not be served in the Child Care Quality Program. Ms. Colette Hall, 101 Robertson Lane, said that soon there will be no middle class in Charlottesville due to the increasing cost of housing. She said that the affordable housing program will not help her family. She said the budget should include what we need not what we want. Mr. John Pfaltz, 1503 Rugby Road, said he will only highlight items in the e-mail he sent to Council. He said he has been looking at City staffing which is the main driver in the budget. He said a lot of employees are not General Fund employees, including transit, social services, and utility billing. He said that it costs over $5 million to administer just over $5 million in benefits in Social Services and said the administration could be cut by $1 million and it would not cost poor people one cent. He said 13 positions have been eliminated since 2005, nine of which were in public safety, and he asked if that is where we want to eliminate positions. Mr. Peter Kleeman, 407 Hedge Street, said he does not see major capital expenditures such as the Meadowcreek Parkway interchange, Hillsdale Drive, and the mall crossing in the budget. He recommended that there be a detailed breakout of significant projects. He said if funds for these projects could be rebudgeted it would make a big difference. Mr. Jim Moore, 1213 Hazel Street, said Council challenged him to make cuts in the budget and he presented cuts totaling $4 million. He said the large item pickup should be maintained, developer fees maintained at the present level, increasing traffic engineering, and increasing Planning Commission salaries. His reductions included eliminating the homeowners tax relief and technology infrastructure reserve, reducing funds for Jefferson School by $1 million, and making other reductions in the capital improvement plan. Mr. Charles Weber, 601 Locust Avenue, pointed out the interplay between the tax rate notice and the budget. He said there is no question that Council can raise taxes, but the law says Council should determine the increase necessary. He said there is no detailed analysis provided on the budget increase. He said it is Council’s duty to explain why the budget is going up without telling people to go into the budget and see where cuts could be made. Ms. Paula Dean, 1133 St. Clair Avenue Extended, said that since April 2004 she has asked for services and they were not provided until August, and then only after Council intervention. She said she is very dissatisfied with the service she has received from the City. Ms. Bettie Amiss, 1501 Chesapeake Street, asked for more information on employees and salaries. As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. Mr. Caravati asked if the notice in the newspaper as writen is prescribed by State law and Mr. Brown said yes. Mr. Caravati asked for information on the City’s bonding capacity in real terms as a percentage of the budget. He asked where Charlottesville ranks in the State in its bonding debt.