This is first in a series on the 2011 budget. The Council is in the midst of considering City Manager Strome’s proposed budget (download warning: large file) for 2011. Our review commenced with a presentation from the City Manager and … Continue reading »

Second in a series on the 2011 budget. A budget is not just a dry set of statistics — it is a statement of values. In the push and pull over individual line items, we should not lose sight of the … Continue reading »

Third in a series on the 2011 budget. First of all, there is often confusion about who is responsible for your overall property tax bill, because the taxes from different government entities — City, County, School, Library, and Sewer Districts … Continue reading »

Fourth in a series on the 2011 budget. What happens to New Rochelle when the U.S. suffers through a recession? You can see the rug being pulled out from under us, undoing sound financial planning that took a decade to … Continue reading »

Fifth in a series on the 2011 budget. When a recession depletes several core revenue sources all at once, the City’s budget takes a big hit. If municipal expenses balloon at the same time, then the City’s fiscal position moves … Continue reading »

Sixth in a series on the 2011 budget. My prior budget posts describe the exceptionally challenging trends and circumstances that have impacted New Rochelle’s fiscal health. In this post, I look more closely at the actions taken by the City … Continue reading »

Seventh in a series on the 2011 budget. Often the first step to solving a problem is understanding its source. Conversely, false impressions of a problem’s source can confuse debates and impede constructive solutions. In my prior posts on the … Continue reading »

This is my eighth and final post devoted to the 2011 budget and to the trends and circumstances that shape it. If you have read every word of the prior posts, you deserve some sort of prize. Even if you … Continue reading »