Town Manager Steve Owen has described the proposed fiscal year 2005 budget as "no frills," however there are some in town who believe there is still some trimming that needs to be done to the $34.6 million proposal, and in some cases weren't afraid to suggest where the cuts should fall, namely the renovations for the new police station, grant money for the Elden Street Players, an administration office for the Chestnut Grove Cemetery, and the funds earmarked for the Neighborhood Resource Center.
"There is fat in this budget," said Ann Null, an Oak Street resident, at the proposed budget public hearing Tuesday night.
IN ALL, eight people chose to speak to the proposed budget, some with ideas on where cuts can still be made, others seeking to retain funding. Null, a candidate for the Town Council, was one of the evening's most outspoken, questioning the proposed grant to the community theater group and the funding of the resource center, which led to a argument with Councilwoman Carol Bruce, who is seeking re-election.
"The Neighborhood Resource Center is not authorized by the town's charter. We pay taxes to Fairfax County for social services. It is something we can get rid of," Null said, after suggesting the Elden Street Player do fund-raising campaigns and use the Council Chambers for performances rather than receiving a grant.
Bruce asked Null what services she has an issue with, then read off a list of programs offered at the Neighborhood Resource Center, all of which are presented by the county or volunteer groups and are at no cost to the town, including homework study groups, English as a Second Language classes and parenting classes.
Null clarified her statement, saying that it wasn't necessarily the services, but the overhead caused by having the center. She said local churches and other organizations could accommodate the programs offered there.
The town pays $126,000 to lease the space used by the center and more than $11,680 for various utilities. In all, the budget proposes $540,228 to support the center, its staff and its town programs, not including the ones offered by the county. Fairfax County reimburses the town $74,000 for the center and $65,500 for a bilingual housing specialist that has an office there.
RESIDENT BETTY VALLEY suggested the proposed $2 million information technology bill for upgrading the new police station was too steep and that keeping the cemetery administration offices at old Town Hall were more appropriate than building an office on the cemetery site. The proposed office would be funded from the cemetery enterprise fund, and not the general fund. Valley also read a statement from her daughter, Pat Gallagher, supporting the Planning Commission's suggestion of moving the final phase of the Community Center's renovations up a year to FY 2005 by borrowing the needed money from the water and sewer fund. Owen said staff could support the commission’s recommendation.
Another resident, Mary Burger, also voiced her support of the Community Center renovations, saying she walks to the center every day and takes senior aerobics classes there.
"Art, we are freezing our buns off," Burger said to Art Anselene, the director of parks of recreation. "The pool roof leaks, and I know it's crazy, but it is still annoying when it hits you on the head."
THE PROPOSED $34 million budget earmarks $27.2 million for the general funds and the remainder for the town's enterprise funds. The FY '05 projection represents a 5.9 percent decrease from the current FY '04 budget. It holds the real estate tax rate at 28 cents per $100 assessed value, making the average residential tax bill about $682.34 per year; and does not raise any of the fees or rates for town services.
The next Town Council meeting on the proposed budget will be a work session Tuesday, April 20, followed by another public hearing Tuesday, April 27, at which time the council is expected to adopt the budget. Both meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and are held in the Council Chambers, 765 Lynn St. The work session will be in the chamber's conference room.