Politics & Government
Question 5: Utica City Council Candidates Talk Money
The following is the last in a set of five questions posed to the five candidates running for three seats on the Utica City Council.
Would you ever be in favor of taking money out of the city's fund balance to balance the budget? If not, why not? If yes, under what circumstances?
: This is not something I like to do; however, in very limited circumstances and in tough times such as these, I would do so. If safety was ever an issue or we we're in a situation where this is the “lesser of two evils,” I’m sure I would agree to this. This is one instance where I am so very glad these decisions are made by a team instead of one person.
Taking money out of the city’s fund would have to be justified as a saving move, or a REAL emergency. I would hope we as a council could put our heads together to find a better way to resolve the problem then take from the city fund. If all else fails we do what we have to, just like in our own personal lives.
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: The city’s fund balance is supposed to be used for unseen emergencies. To take money out of the fund to balance a budget that is in the planning stage, should be done only under extreme conditions and with caution.
The only reason I can foresee to take money out of the City’s fund balance would be for emergency situations only. If we deplete the fund balance, it would be very difficult with the current tax base, to recoup the money.
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From what I understand, the City Fund is a “rainy-day” fund in which the balances are mandated by state requirements. Knowing that, I feel that the city should be extremely cautious when making a decision as whether or not to use the City Fund to balance the budget. An example of a need for the use of the City Fund was the flood of 2004. There was a lot of damage done to the south end of the city that needed immediate attention. In a case like this emergency, I believe that using the City Fund would be an appropriate decision. In a less extreme situation when additional funding was needed, I would be in favor of using the City Fund using the two following guidelines: (1) That the dollar amount needed would allow the City Fund to maintain mandated percentages, and (2) a plan to replace the amount borrowed back into the City Fund within a designated length of time was agreed upon by the council.
Question 3: Tell Patch about a tough decision you've had to made and how you came to a conclusion?
