WESTFIELD – During his briefing in advance of the City Council meeting Thursday, Mayor Brian P. Sullivan asked for immediate consideration of the amended amount of $2,372,378 of Free Cash to be used towards the Fiscal Year 2017 tax levy, amounting to 0% increase in property taxes for Westfield residents this year.
Sullivan said a lot of the credit for the position goes to the financial department, but he also singled out several Councilors for their assistance. He said At-large Councilor Cindy C. Harris, who chairs the Personnel Committee, provided assistance in filling positions and leaving some open as he sought to streamline the way the city does things.
Westfield City Council considers Free Cash appropriation of $2.3 million on Thursday. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Sullivan also thanked Finance Committee chair Robert A. Paul, Sr., Ward 5 Councilor, for his constructive and constant input, and for both heated and amicable discussions on finance. He also said he couldn’t do his job without going through Council president Brent B. Bean, II.
Sullivan also said that just because he’s amending the amount has nothing to do with pressure from anyone, but because the money is there in Free Cash to do it. He also cautioned that the 0% increase will be short-lived, because there are many things that need to be done in the city.
“Enjoy it for the time being,” the Mayor said.
Councilor Paul thanked the Mayor for his full transparency in his dealings with the Finance Committee, which he said led to this announcement. During the meeting, Councilor Paul made the motion to approve the amended amount, which opened the floor to a discussion.
“I would like to thank Mayor Sullivan for holding off raising property taxes for the first time in nine years. It’s the right thing to do,” said At-large Councilor Dan Allie.
At-large Councilor Stephen Dondley admitted to being torn on the issue.
“As we have seen on the agenda coming up, there are lots of other important issues that we need to address. We are obligated not only to taxpayers’ pocketbooks but to their quality of life. When we don’t tax, we take away services,” Dondley said.
Dondley was referring to six new and largely symbolic motions on the agenda from Bean and At-large Councilor and former mayor Daniel Knapik, requesting that Mayor Sullivan appropriate $1,000,000 each to needs in downtown development, economic development, the fire department, DPW, school technology upgrades and school repairs and maintenance.
Westfield treasurer/tax collector Meghan Kane with her new baby at Thursday’s City Council meeting. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Knapik then said he agreed with Dondley, and that it took him five minutes and three phone calls to come up with the list represented in the motions.
“The single most challenging thing as a mayor is how to fund needs with no money. Because of my conversation with the Mayor, I will vote for this against my better fiscal judgment,” Knapik said. “We’ve learned in this city the cost of deferred maintenance. The most important job is to take care of the assets of the taxpayers. Everyone, enjoy no tax,” Knapik added.
“I agree with both councilors on this particular issue,” said Bean, stepping down from his post as president to weigh in. “I’m excited and proud of where we are as a city this year. I’m proud of this council and the Finance Committee taking this particular position because of Free Cash,” Bean continued. However, he said he was still torn.
“Can you say no to something like this? You show me any town that has done this recently,” Bean said. “I guess I just wanted to say I’m very proud of the council we have here today, the department heads, and their fiscal responsibility.” He also said he is very concerned about the need to make some major capital improvements, calling it a “watershed moment,” and a great problem to have.
At-large Councilor and Finance Committee member Dave Flaherty, who presented the resolution at the last meeting to ask the Mayor to increase the Free Cash appropriation by $1,338,100, said he agreed with Bean’s concerns. Flaherty said the needs in the city amount to more than $100 million.
“My number one priority is to reduce spending,” Flaherty said, adding that his number two priority is to increase non-tax revenue. He said the Finance Committee spent a combined 100 hours in an attempt to do both at budget time. He also said that the city has been increasing spending by $3 million a year, and has to live within the budget.
“With all that said, I’m going to reluctantly vote for it for three reasons. People need a break. It will slow down the collision with the tax ceiling, giving another year, year and a half breathing room; and it burns up Free Cash, money that we won’t burn through,” Flaherty said.
Council president Brent B. Bean, II and Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell present a gift basket to city clerk Karen Fanion (second from left) and assistant clerk Donna Roy (right) in appreciation for their support of the City Council all year. (Photo by Amy Porter)
“I agree with all four of you. We have big things to worry about, but we are going to hit that ceiling. We’ve all heard from constituents. I am supportive of this, my constituents want this. I want to see the budget get in check next year,” said Ward 3 Councilor Andrew Surprise.
In the end, the Free Cash appropriation passed 12 to 1, with only Council President Bean voting no.
The Council also voted Thursday on the tax shift, which was put on hold at the Dec. 1 meeting to wait on the Free Cash appropriation to be settled.
Harris made a motion to set the tax shift at 1.66, up from the current 1.65. Harris said residential property values went up .02% this year, and commercial properties were down just under 1%.
Flaherty made a motion to amend the tax shift to 1.63, saying it would put the city in a similar position to last year. Allie agreed.
“We’re capped at 1.75. Whenever we can step away from the cap, we should do so. It allows us some wiggle room in the future,” he said.
“I would support Councilor Harris’s motion. Let’s go all the way. Let’s give taxpayers a break,” said Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski.
The amended motion for a residential/commercial tax shift of 1.63 failed 11-2. The original motion for a tax shift of 1.66 then passed by a vote of 11-2. The Chamber of Commerce had requested a tax shift of 1.59 at the Dec. 1 meeting.
At the end of the meeting, Knapik made a motion to combine into one and send the six $1 million appropriation requests to the Mayor. When Flaherty said he didn’t want to vote on all of them, Knapik replied that they would be going to the Mayor, and implied they wouldn’t be coming back for a vote.
Also at the end of the meeting, Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell and Bean presented city clerk Karen Fanion and assistant city clerk Donna Roy with a gift basket for their office, thanking them for their professional and tireless work throughout the year on behalf the City Council.
