Easton Town Administrator Outlines Budget Cuts

Easton Town Administrator David Colton outlined a slew of recommended budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year Monday that would account for the loss of eight positions in town government and the reduction in pay for at least two others.

The cuts, which amount to $600,669 would include two police officer positions, three firefighter positions and one equipment operator for the Department of Public Works - all positions which are currently vacant as a result of attrition. Two clerks would also be laid off.

"I’ve tried to carve a path here that is the least disruptive to town services and will keep the integrity of town government intact," said Colton.

The cuts are a reaction to an approximately $1.75 million deficit the town is facing in the upcoming fiscal year, which Colton said is a result of declining revenue caused by the recession.

Colton outlined local aid numbers that dropped $1,106,109 since 2009, excise tax revenue that is expected to fall eight percent since 2009, and overall new growth numbers that fell from $1,014,056 in 2007 to $360,098 in 2010.

Meanwhile, he said, spending was not excessive.  The town, in many cases, was spending "just enough to meet legal obligations," he said.

Spending increased an average of less than two percent per year from 2009 through 2011. Most of the increased spending, he said, came from employee benefit and insurance costs, which are expected to rise 6.63 percent in 2012.

Along with Colton's cuts, Superintendent Dr. Michael Green is expected to announce $900,000 worth of cuts at an upcoming school committee meeting. Green said late last week that the cuts could include at least four elementary level teachers and some paraprofessionals, but more cuts would have to be made.

He has yet to outline his official recommendations.

"At this point, looking at everything, we just don’t as of yet know how we’re going to close that gap," he said. "It’s been quite a while since we’ve had to cut that much."

School Committee Chair Caroline O'Neill acknowledged that a significant amount of positions would have to be looked at when deciding on cuts.

"Most people know the vast majority of our budget is personnel" she said. "When you look at $900,000 and you look at text books and supplies – you can’t get anywhere with that."

Colton said after Green makes his recommendations, he will look for ways to close the rest of the deficit gap.

Overall, from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2012 Colton is recommending cuts of 2.77 percent from the general government budget, 2.38 percent from the public safety budget, 5.30 percent from the public works budget, 2.13 percent from the public and human services budget and 3.03 percent from the overall town operating budget.

"There is really no good way to do this," he said. "[There are choices] between bad option 'A' and bad option 'B'."