ROA Response to Proposed 2010 Boro Budget

ROA president Sandra Slabik delivered the statement below in person to the Stone Harbor Borough Council on March 17, 2010.

ROA Response Statement

to the

Proposed 2010

 Stone Harbor Budget

The Stone Harbor ROA membership, as well as most citizens, are very aware of the economic hardship that is affecting individuals, businesses, schools and universities, companies, and federal, state, and local governments. Most of these entities are cutting expenses in order to ensure fiscal integrity and responsibility. However, the proposed Stone Harbor budget presented on March 2, 2010 did not indicate reduced expenses, nor even maintain the same level of expenditures. The budget presented indicated an increase level of expenditures from almost every functional area. As you know this was not very well received, and comments and questions from our Trustees and members began immediately. 

Knowing the budget presentation  was forthcoming, the ROA had requested the chair of the Administration and Finance Committee to attend our March meeting this past Saturday, March 13^th. Joanne Vaul explained many of the budget elements where the Borough has little control, and also the necessity of the capital expenditures proposed, several of which were delayed a year or two already. Ms. Vaul satisfactorily answered every question we had from both our Trustees and members who had contacted us through our web site. We would like to publicly thank Ms. Vaul for persevering through almost two hours of questions and concerns. Her explanations were very thorough, and certainly assisted those present in understanding not only the need for some of the increases, but the process as well. She also explained the reductions in the budget that have occurred since the budget was first presented, reducing the increase from $545,000 to $385,000.  

The ROA applauds the efforts over the past two weeks to reduce expenditures contained in the proposed budget. We also understand the increased cost the Borough has incurred, and will continue to incur as a result of devastating storms.    

However, we feel that the functional committees should continue to look for ways to further analyze and reduce their budgets without severely affecting necessary and desired services. Sometimes doing things the way we always did them is no longer very efficient. Some municipalities have been able to operate without a tax increase, or even a reduced tax rate in the last couple of years by drastically reducing their budgets and holding the line on pay raises amid escalating costs. Stone Harbor has consistently had a tax increase, and that practice needs to end.  We also think the Borough should more aggressively seek to increase revenue sources to offset necessary expenditure increases. Some ideas include possible new activities and events that would establish new revenue streams. We also advocate that the budget process be more open from the beginning so interested citizens with expertise in specific areas could provide input and assistance at the functional committee level long before the proposed budget is presented. One of our Trustees has already volunteered to provide some expertise in the area of insurance packages. There are probably items and practices in each functional area that could be handled more efficiently. Stone Harbor, as well as other communities, will continue to have economic struggles in the months and years ahead. We cannot continue to operate in the same manner as we have in the past, and we cannot continue to raise taxes on an annual basis.     

The ROA would like to work with Borough administrators in any way we can to best serve the citizens, both full and part time, of Stone Harbor. Why can’t the process be more open so feedback and input can occur at the early stages? Our interest is not to say no to everything, but to find ways to do it more efficiently. The ROA would like to assist Borough administrators in finding ways that those willing to assist in the process, and have the expertise to do so, could be utilized. We need to hold the line on taxes, and find long term solutions to increase revenues and operate in a fiscally and socially responsible manner.