We are dealing this month with the City budget, a massive project, but one of our most important. Councilors this week have been asked by the Finance Committee to weigh in with their specific suggestions for budgetary cuts. This request will force Councilors to carefully review the proposed budget and work the numbers, a very good thing.
We have a proposed budget that mandates a 3.5% increase in our taxes. Cuts must be made. Cuts must be made in many departments and will be painful. Only a handful of citizens have attended the month long series of budget hearings. PLEASE reach out to City Councilors and voice your opinions on the budget and on suggestions on possible cuts. There is a public hearing on the budget in City Council Chambers on Monday, June 27 at 6 PM. You may attend this meeting to voice your concerns and thoughts. The draft budget is on line at: CITYOFWESTFIELD.org. Click on the Mayor’s tab and you will find it. The School Department’s budget is on the Home Page of the School Departments web site:Schoolsofwestfield.org.
MARY L. O’CONNELL
I have heard from parents decrying the potential of school budget cuts, (by the way, in the last dozen years the student population has dropped by almost 1000 and the budget educating these students has increased by almost twenty five percent), by seniors demanding deep cuts to allay tax increases, and City Employees lobbying for no cuts to their departments. I am attending all budget hearings and will make fair, common sense decisions on any cuts I support. I will not make some happy or pleased but I will do what I feel is best ONCE I review all of the facts and figures.
The task and topic of this week’s article is suddenly somber and grave. The incident in Orlando, Florida this past week weighs heavily on all of our minds. How can we justify the sale of these weapons of war, as some call assault rifles? Truly, can we not all see the simple truth in front of us-All assault weapons MUST be banned-no more access. What in God’s name is it going to take to have us come to our senses on this issue? Is the cost so far not enough, twenty six souls gunned down in Connecticut, thirty two people at Virginia Tech, a dozen students in Colorado or forty nine killed in Florida? What is the magic number to make us understand the task at hand: the banning of assault weapons?
Prayers for Orlando.
Mary O’Connell
Ward Four City
