New Haven Mayor John DeStefano says pension and health care costs must brought under control.
While unveiling his $677 million budget for the next fiscal year Tuesday, DeStefano said those costs for city workers were the sole reason the overall spending plan is increasing for 2011-2012.
"Pension and health care costs rise by $11 million in this budget. Those two items alone rise by an amount that is two-and-a-half times the total increase in the entire city budget," DeStefano said. In the past 10 years, pension and health care costs have risen from $44 million to $100 million for the city, he said.
The mayor announced his budget plan just two weeks after laying off 82 city workers, including 16 police officers. "In fact, the 82 people who lost their jobs two weeks ago paid for this year's increase in pensions and health care essentially," DeStefano said. "That's not right, it's not good for the city, and it's a problem that's only getting worse."
Not everything in the mayor's budget was grim. DeStefano announced property taxes would not be increasing for city residents. However some city fees, including the controversial plan to charge homeowners for storm drain usage, will increase.
Other cuts to help bring spending under control include fewer library hours at the city's public libraries and reduced maintenance at city parks.
