The Board of Estimate and Apportionment--the mayor, the Common Council president, and the treasurer--continues its struggle to close the gap between revenue and expenses this week. In the past, the BEA has taken money from the fund balance to close the gap, but a report at last Friday's BEA meeting from treasurer Heather Campbell on the current state of the fund balance suggests that cannot be done again. The only way to balance the budget is to cut expenses.
Below is the schedule of BEA workshops this week. The workshops are hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click on the date and time for the link to join remotely.
Update: Friday's BEA workshop has been canceled. The BEA concluded its work on Thursday.COPYRIGHT 2025 CAROLE OSTERINK
My suggestion to cut expenses is to abandon the ill conceived parking kiosks which no one in Hudson wanted in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThat would save the salary of the newly created Parking Bureau Chief at least.
Pew -- I do agree that the parking kiosks should be abandoned -- they are going to be a huge money and time ($alary) loser. They already have been. But the parking bureau will remain whether the kiosks survive or not -- at least that's how I understand it. They just handle the administration of tickets. Depending on who you talk to, HPD is dealing directly with the kiosks.
ReplyDeleteUpdate on BEA meetings. There was a technical problem with the link for today's meeting. It was resolved. The meetings scheduled for later this week should be available as hybrid meetings.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Morris
If your property tax bill rises by 3.9% next year, then:
ReplyDelete- If you currently pay $20,000, you will pay $780 more.
- If you currently pay $5,000, you will pay $195 more.
Property taxes are a "Regressive Tax". The same rate applies to everyone, so those with lower incomes shoulder a heavier burden relative to what they earn. Most American municipalities cannot add progressive local taxes, which means cities like Hudson have few tools to balance fairness with fiscal discipline.
When Kamal and Tom overestimate revenue, underestimate costs, unionize the Youth Center, and avoid serious oversight of major departments, they are not hurting the wealthy or those in public housing. They are squeezing Hudson’s middle class and struggling homeowners, who already pay the most for the least return.
P.s. If you rent... you are not spared.... those taxes drive the price of rent upwards, and force properties off of the market, decreasing supply, which increases rent.