Tougher Decisions Ahead as Borough Council Turns To 2012 Budget

Got any ideas for cutting expenses or raising revenues? The Madison Borough Council wants to hear them.

With the current municipal budget under review by the state finance committee, the council is turning its attention to 2012. Reluctant to raise taxes, or cut more personnel or services, council members pledged to take a closer look at spending ahead of next year’s budget.

The council will vote to adopt or reject the 2011 budget at its next meeting April 11.

At Monday night’s meeting at , the panel defeated a motion by council member Robert Conley to form an expense reduction ad hoc advisory committee composed of council members and residents to make non-binding recommendations about spending cuts and revenue enhancements. Acknowledging that the idea was still a good one, Mayor Mary-Anna Holden asked Conley and council member Jeannie Tsukamoto to put together a fact-finding report prior to the start of next year’s budget process.

Following on discussion, Holden suggested council develop a structured town hall meeting where residents might feel more comfortable providing input on the budget process.

Months of wrangling by the council produced comparatively small reductions in spending, including a shift to once-a-week garbage pick-up as well as a proposal that residents bag their leaves prior to collection.

The borough is eyeing other minor expense reductions, such as reviewing service contracts covering municipal copiers, computers and fax machines.

As council member Don Links observed, “The 2011 budget is all about accounting. We’re going to have a real problem in 2012.”