I've told you that NorCo Exec Tara Zrinski plans to propose an amendment to her own spending plan next year. Her initial proposal calls for a 43.5% tax hike by raising the millage rate from 10.5 to 15.6 mills. But that budget request was pretty much dead on arrival. No Council member has supported it. Quite the opposite. Yesterday, at least three Council members (Jason Boulette, Tom Giovanni and Lori Vargo Heffner) submitted a laundry list of cuts.
In individual meetings with Budget Administrator Brandon Dunstane, Council members have made clear they will push back hard against any increase beyond two mills.
Council member Boulette has probably submitted the most amendments. According to a statement he posted on Facebook, "I submitted over 170 line item amendments that would cut around 22 million dollars in spending. And I know some of my colleagues on Council are also submitting amendments of their own to cut other pieces of spending. All of these spending cuts would have the effect of significantly reducing the proposed property tax increase."
Although I have not seen specifics, I am told that some of the cuts include the elimination of a COLA for retirees next year as well as reductions in the amount of spending to beef up the county's pension funds. There may be a reduction in the amount set aside for "pooled professional services," which is the source for funding agency nurses.
While County Council did agree to establish a Continuum of Care department, it's pretty clear that is a long way off. A request for proposals issued by the county envisions a plan to be produced late next year. Until that happens, I'd fund that department and its two employees at $1.
While I'd agree with raises for underpaid career service, it should exclude all department heads and exempt cabinet officials. Moreover, no one in Gracedale's management deserves a raise. That includes the Interim Administrator as well as the Director of Nursing.
Zrinski is required by the Home Rule Charter to present her budget request 90 days before the end of the year. There is no provision allowing her to amend her plan once she has proposed it. So unless she has a willing Council member who will introduce her amendment, she has no authority to change her spending plan on her own. Council should be able to review her budget without it changing every five minutes. If she were allowed to change it at her whim, there'd be no reason for the 90-day rule.
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