City of Summit Budget Workshop Meeting Thursday

The next meeting in the City of Summit budget process will take place on Thursday, March 13 at 7:00 PM in the Whitman Community Room at City Hall on 512 Springfield Ave.  The focus of the meeting will be the presentation of the 2014 annual budget by City Administrator Christopher Cotter for review by Mayor Ellen Dickson and members of Common Council.

“We have developed a budget that reflects the needs and desires of the community,” describes Cotter. “During this process, our goal and challenge has been to provide essential programs and services without imposing added cost. This budget will be a successful tool to meet that objective.”

While the proposed City budget is expected to be well below the state mandated 2% increase when introduced on Thursday, the Mayor and members of Common Council continue to express strong concern about the proposed County budget increase of 4.12%.

“Regrettably, the County budget will once again exceed budget cap limits,” explains Common Council President Robert Rubino. “This continuing escalation of County taxes creates an enormous and unnecessary burden on our community and Council will continue to work with the County on ways to reduce this liability for Summit residents. For example, Union County is the only county in NJ that has not consolidated its county police and sheriff departments.  This is one example of several where the county could implement more fiscal practicality.”

Any changes to the proposed City budget made by the Mayor and Common Council during the workshop meeting will be included in a full budget that will be introduced for adoption at a future Common Council meeting.  Interested residents and members of the business community are invited to participate in the budget process, and attend the workshop meeting on March 13.