RTM Restores $42k, Continues Budget Talks Tonight

It was a long and, at times, emotional night for the Westport Representative Town Meeting Monday and into Tuesday morning as part of what will be a three-day task of approving the town's 2010-2011 budget.

After six hours, the RTM made eight decisions. Three of those decisions earned the 70 percent vote of RTM members necessary to restore funding in the Registrar's Office and in the office of the Town Clerk. The five other motions failed for lack of enough votes. Motions were made, but did not pass, to restore funding to the Conservation Department, Police Department and Assessor's Office.

In total, the RTM restored $42,000 to the budget as of Wednesday morning. The process continues today at 7:30 p.m. to deliberate the Board of Education budget, and the remaining portion of the town budget will continue on Wednesday.

It took the RTM two hours before the first votes were made to restore $36,500 in funding to the Registrar's Office for operations and elections.

After $5,500 was restored to the Town Clerk's Office, RTM Finance Committee chairman Michael Rea addressed the full body.

"You have a difficult job before you because tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday, you are going to hear some very compelling arguments," Rea said. "This is the time you have to find it in your soul, in your gut to say, 'No.' ... This economy is not turning around, the revenues are down and the pension obligations continue to balloon. Are we forgetting this? Before the restoration train moves out of the station, stop and think about every compelling argument you are going to hear and see if you can come up with the bottom line."

Rea reiterated concerns brought to the RTM by Board of Finance chairwoman Helen Garten that the range of a budget increase will at least amount to 3.5 percent but could amount to as high as 4.5 percent if all requested restorations are approved. When it comes to setting the tax rate, the range could expand from 3.5 percent to 5.5 percent depending on how much is restored.

Garten asked the RTM to seriously consider the Board of Finance's decisions, which were made based on factors such as urging town departments to come in with flat budgets so the town could fully fund its pension obligations.

Garten said it wasn't easy telling department heads to cut staff, reorganize their deptartments or outsource services. 

"But we had to do it becuse this window of opportunity won't be open forever," she continued. "If we as a town don't make changes in how we run government, we are sentencing ourselves to a rerun of this budget season year after year."

While some RTM members made impassioned pleas for restoration in the conservation and police departments, others said they struggled to agree with funding restoration because of the economic climate and need to find more ways to be efficient.

Amy Ancel of District 3 even delivered a tearful address about her support for the town's Conservation Department and struggle to find middle ground in light of the recession.

"This one is killing me," she said as her eyes welled. "I've worked on environmental protection in this town for 20 years ... and it is part of my soul and I wish that these cuts, particularly this one didn't have to happen. 

"And I'm embarassed because I'm crying but I'm going to tell everyone that not only is this meeting but this year is like a bad version of the movie Groundhog Day for me. Last year, I told you I am the face of the unemployed in Westport and one year later I am still the face of the unemployed in Westport."

Like many others who have lost their jobs or seen severe decline in income due to a changing market, Ancel, a Realtor, said she hasn't had a real estate deal in two years. She's recently found temporary work with the U.S. Census Bureau. In talking to Westporters who've lost their jobs, she said many are "furious" to know budget increases and tax hikes are likely.

Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff told the audience at the start of the meeting Tuesday that if the RTM approves his requested $1.2 million in restoration, the extra cost to a Westport taxpayer would be about $128 a year.

But Ancel said some can't afford that when jobs are slim, income is tight or non-existant and health care costs continue to rise.

While many say Westport will just have to learn to do more with less and find efficiencies, others say the result of a leaner budget will mean less town services.

For those who wish to comment on the town budget process, the meetings continue today at 7:30 p.m. in Westport Town Hall.