At today's public hearing on the proposed budget for 2021, no one from the public had a word to say, and the hearing was over in seven minutes.
At the Common Council Finance Committee meeting, which happened a half hour after the public hearing on the budget, Alderman Jane Trombley (First Ward) asked, during the banter that took place while waiting for city treasurer Heather Campbell to join the meeting, "How come there was no comment?" Council president Tom DePietro responded wryly, "Because the budget was perfectly crafted."
When Campbell presented her monthly report, it revealed that revenue from sales tax was almost where it was at this time last year, but the tax that saw that biggest revenue shortfall was the lodging tax. Nevertheless, at the regular meeting of the Council, which followed an hour and a half later, the resolution to enact the law regulating short term rentals passed unanimously. Campbell's projections see a shortfall in revenue for 2020 of between $1.2 and $1.7 million, which will have to be made up by drawing on the fund balance. On Thursday, the Council will be voting on the 2021 budget, which will be balanced with a half million taken from the fund balance. In September, Campbell reported that the fund balance was currently $2,748,452.
Two things of interest were revealed during the Finance Committee meeting. According to a report issued by city assessor Cheryl Kaszluga, 27.89 percent of the property in Hudson is exempt from city property taxes. This is considerably less than many believe to be the case. Also, although the need to put quarters in the parking meters was suspended, for no particular reason, from mid-March until the end of May, the tradition of suspending parking meter fees during the month of December, to encourage holiday shopping in Hudson, will not happen this year.
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This budget gives priority to our most essential services as well as not raising taxes for once. Of course there was no comments. Also local business owners asked me to suspend meters during March and May because Covid picked up and a lot of their drivers got tickets trying to do deliveries. So it wasn't for no particular reason. Also it's ok sometimes to give credit when it's due. You spent the last couple years hating me and for no reason. I mean I don't mind but man at least throw a bone once in a while. I'm as Hudson as it gets. ~Mayor Kamal Johnson
ReplyDeleteThe budget drains the fund balance to cover the fact that you didn't succeed in any meaningful way at cutting the budget next year, or the spending this year. I actually showed up late to the meeting yesterday. Several residents were popping in and out of the Zoom. You weren't there-perhaps you were doing more selfies?
DeleteI actually always assumed you suspended parking fees because the meter readers were in a high-risk group and you were looking out for their health. I'm disappointed to hear your reasons were both less logical and less humanitarian. I am glad you decided to do away with the suspension of parking meters in December-it's a wasteful tradition that takes away revenue we should be making from out-of-town visitors, so thank you.
As a side note, it looks super immature for the mayor to be on comment boards whining that not everyone is fawning over you. You sound like Donald Goddamned Trump. Grow up.
There are no comments on the budget because it's about as opaque a document and process as the open meetings law allows. Putting that aside, Mayor, because some disagree with your priorities, methods and/or outcomes isn't "hate" -- it's a disagreement about a public matter and your dismissing it as emotional rather than intellectual is both demeaning and a waste of time. Time, by the way, that you could be using to find meaningful budget cuts (not increasing your staff's salary because he has to file some paperwork) during a time of acute property owner and renter pain. Or you can use it to whine in public like you did here. Your choice -- but the voters are watching and most of us understand that you and the Council just used our savings to pay for your inability to deliver.
DeleteThanks John.
DeleteHad I remembered to "attend" the meeting, I would have asked "What, if anything, was cut from the DPW budget?" Was money for road restiping cut for next year, as it appears to have been? B Huston
DeleteOh, also Kamal, we do not "hate" you. We may disagree with what you do and not like some of it but there's no hate. Just cus there isn't enough love coming your way doesn't necessarily mean you are hated.
Throwing that word out there is indeed very Trumpian and just sows divisiveness. It's ugly and unbecoming of any respectable politician. It is also becoming too common - I heard Lindsay Graham utter the hate word recently in reference to Democrats so that he could stir up his base and ask for money. And he won.
Peace and love yo !
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ReplyDeleteDo we know which version of the STR law passed? Is there a link somewhere to the final plan? And is this passage final, with the clock starting?
ReplyDeleteJust about every time I've mentioned the STR law I have provided a hyperlink to the law--the version that was passed--but here's the link to it again: http://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonny/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2020/September/Short%20Term%20Rental%20Proposed%20Local%20Law%20(FINAL)%209.2020.pdf
DeleteThe mayor must hold a public hearing before signing it into law, and I believe it needs to be filed with the NYS Secretary of State before it officially takes effect.
Put the clown shoes on. You have to remember who voted him in. Vote him out. Might as well call him Mayor Trump
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