Joseloff to Ask for $1.35 Million Back in Municipal Budget

First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff  said Tuesday he intends to seek $1.35 million in restoration for the 2010-11 municipal budget.

The request will be made Wednesday to the Board of Finance, which meets for its "Day of Restoration," to listen to town and school officials make their final pitches before approving a budget. The meeting comes about two weeks after the board met for lengthy and at times emotional meetings over the town's budget.

During those meetings, the board decided to cut about $1 million from the Board of Education budget and about a net of $1.79 million from the municipal budget, according to Finance Director John Kondub. If those cuts are sustained that would equate to about 12 fewer teachers and 15 fewer town employees as well as cuts to services and programs.

The Board of Education voted 4-3 Monday to seek full restoration. Joseloff intends to ask for partial restoration.

Of his $1.35 million request, the breakdown includes $403,156 to municipal operating budgets, $45,000 to the Library, $400,000 for medical insurance costs, and $500,000 to the Capital and Non-Recurring Fund, which funds capital expenditures such as fire trucks and snow plows.

"We have taken a hard look at how we do business," Joseloff said in a news release Tuesday. "The requested restoration amounts represent what we believe to be the absolute minimum needed to maintain basic services.

"The reality is even if the requested amounts are fully restored, Westporters will find their town is not the one they have come to know and love. Without these restored amounts, the impacts will be even greater."

With reduced budgets, Joseloff said the effects will be felt townwide, including:

• Fewer police officers on the roads responding to emergencies, enforcing traffic laws and directing the flow of traffic.
• Periodic closings of the Greens Farms and Coleytown fire houses because of the town's inability to hire replacements when firefighters call in sick.
• The Westport Public Library likely closing on some Sundays.
• Roads will be paved less often.
• Clearing streets will take longer in snowstorms and after nor'easters.
• Removing dangerous trees will not occur.
• Town departments will be slower to respond to requests and applications.
• Technology advances will occur less often.

"In short, our quality of life will be diminished and so will property values," Joseloff said. "I don't want people to say no one told them. This is a wake up call to Westporters. The proposed cuts will have a lasting impact on our quality of life."

Joseloff urged Westporters to make their views known to the Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting.

"They are your elected representatives," he said. "Make sure they are representing you appropriately."