Ralph Figy
Hello Ward 2. I am hoping that everyone’s summer is going well. We really have had some crazy weather. Hot, rainy, cool that is what makes living in New England interesting. This will be my last article until after the November election.
The Council is currently enjoying a summer recess. However I continue to work on issues that I think are important to Ward 2 and to the City of Westfield. I am researching and gathering information on developing a central registration for rental properties in Westfield. This will allow authorities to know who lives in a unit, who the contact person is and how to reach that person. This is a public safety and health issue. Amherst has had such an ordinance for several years and it works well for them. I am also reviewing the current Nuisance Ordinance to see how it has been working and how to improve it. I will also be working with our Legal Department on Councilor Harris and my idea of legislative tax relief for seniors on a fixed income. More specifics will follow on this important issue of helping to keep our seniors in their homes as long as possible.
I am the Chair of the Legislative and Ordinance Committee. This is an important position to have and I am honored to have held this position for the past three years. The L&O Committee handles all important issues that come before the council with the exception of financial. I am assisted on this committee by the Ward 4 Councilor, Mary O’Connell and the Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski. I want to thank them both for their dedication and hard work that allows for the efficient processing of the items referred to the L&O Committee. An example of the amount of work an idea takes before it can be shaped into an ordinance is the idea of changing private ways into city streets. This has been kicking around the L&O Committee for several years. Councilor O’Connell has taken this on and the Committee has held 6 committee meeting where this has been investigated and debated. It is still a couple of meetings before we will send our findings off to Legal for their review and writing of legislation to move this forward. Then the full Council gets their say before a vote can be taken.
I would be amiss if I did not comment on the recent budget process. The Mayor submits to the Council his budget for the city. Included in this budget are the School Department and the Airport Budgets that are developed and approved by the School Committee and the Airport Commission. The Councils role is to review this document and approve it in the end. Before that the Council can make reductions but cannot add to the budget. The Finance Committee took this budget apart line item by line item and suggested to the full Council areas that they felt could be reduced. The Finance committee then convenes the full Council to a meeting of the whole where these reductions are presented to the full council for action. This is also the time any councilor can suggest their own reductions. The budget is debated and votes are taken. The budget is then referred to the full Council for a vote to approve or reject the presented budget.
This year the Council was presented with a budget with over $400,000 dollars of reductions. If the council approves the proposed budget the reductions take place. If the Council rejects the presented budget a couple of things could happen. First the Finance Committee could reconvene and do the whole process over or the Finance Committee could choose to not review the budget a second time. If the Finance Committee does not take action, the original budget takes effect on July 1. So if a City Councilor votes against the Council approved budget, they are voting against the approved budget cuts.
I am very concerned when ever a budget creates a tax increase. I, like everyone else do not like to pay my taxes, however I like the services that our taxes provide. During the budget debate, no one offered any suggestions as to what service that they would be willing to sacrifice. The budget is at the point that there is no fat left to cut. The only thing left is to start cutting services. So if anyone wants to offer up suggested cut to services that we all enjoy and have come to expect I am listening.
I hope everyone has a safe remainder of summer. Be safe and do not eat too many hot dogs at those great summer picnics.
Ralph Figy
Ward 2.
