Ran across this interesting chart which can be found at www.payscale.com.  This pay rate chart shows that since 2008 people’s pay took a hit and has not recovered past 2008 levels since!

Over this same period of time, the city budget increased almost 15% (less if certain contingency funds are not considered*).

The city cites the regional November-November Boston-Brockton-Nashua Consumer Price Index (CPI), which came in at around 2.9% this year to justify an increase in the city budget for FY13.

Let’s summarize:  Personal income for wage earners is flat compared to 2008.  CPI is up, meaning that people can afford to purchase less of what they need.  On top of that, the city increased spending by almost 15% (comparing FY13 budget to FY08 budget, not to actual*), making it even harder for wage earners to make ends meet.

Maybe the CPI is the wrong standard of measure?

The situation is worse for those on fixed incomes, who are seeing not only increasing costs of living and increasing taxes, but decreasing incomes of late.  They are the most vulnerable.

The City of Portsmouth 2012-2013 Annual Budget (Proposed) was presented to city councilors on Thursday, April 5th and to the public on Friday, April 6th. Copies of the budget, along with prior year budgets and annual returns can be found at www.cityofportsmouth.com/finance/budgets.htm.

City councilors and the public now have a few short months to vet the new budget and give feedback prior to approval by the City Council.  The budget schedule can be found on the city’s budget page above, and is also listed below.

December 2011

21         Wednesday        Department Head Meeting on budget procedure, format and guidelines

January 2012

17         Tuesday             *School Board Public Hearing #1 on the proposed FY13 budget

19         Thursday           Planning Board meeting; Adoption of the Capital Improvement Program

23         Monday             Capital Improvement Program (CIP) document to be submitted to City Council

25         Wednesday        **Fire Commission Public Hearing on the proposed FY13 budget

30         Monday             ***Police Commission Public Hearing on the proposed FY13 budget

February 2012

9          Thursday           School Board Public Hearing #2 on the proposed FY13 budget

10         Friday               Proposed Budgets from Municipal Departments due back to Finance Dept

13         Monday             City Council Work Session on CIP

24         Friday               Finance Department submits all proposed budgets to the City Manager

Feb 27-Mar 02               Departmental budget reviews with City Manager

March 2012

5          Monday             City Council holds Public Hearing on CIP

19         Monday             City Council meeting; Adoption of the CIP

April 2012

11         Wednesday        Proposed Budget document to be submitted to the City Council

18         Wednesday        Public Hearing on City Manager’s Proposed FY13 budget with presentations from Police, Fire, School and Municipal Departments

30         Monday             Work Session with City Council to review the School Department Budget

May 2012

2          Wednesday        Work Session with City Council to review Police Department Budget and Fire Department Budget

8          Tuesday             Work Session with City Council to review the Municipal Budget

14         Monday             Re-open Public Hearing on the City Manager’s Proposed FY13 budget

16         Wednesday        Work Session with City Council –final budget review if necessary

21         Monday             City Council meeting; Adoption of the FY13 Budget

Note: All Work Sessions and Public Hearings will be held in the Eileen Dondero Foley Council

Chambers and will be televised with the exception of the following:

*School Board Public Hearing to be held at the Little Harbour School

**Fire Commission Public Hearing to be held at Fire Station 2.

All Work Sessions will begin at 6:30 p.m

All Public Hearings will begin at 7:00 p.m.

*** Exception: Police Commission Public Hearing will begin at 6:00 pm

I am humbled, but excited about serving Portsmouth on the City Council in 2012 and 2013. I know it is hard work, but with your help I am up to the task and ready to hit the ground running in January!

Again, thank you all.

Does Portsmouth listen to you?  It will when I am on the City Council!  Your concerns, your questions, your suggestions – I have an open ear.

Is anyone looking after your back pocket?  I will!  I am a fiscal conservative who knows that organizations need to be given good guidelines for taxing and spending so that you get the best services, without taking more from you than is absolutely necessary.  Let’s keep property taxes low (which helps renters, too!).  This means all departments must look again at how budgets can be squeezed.

Are your children getting the best education possible?  It may be time to look at how we run our schools, and what it takes to increase the level of educational excellence.  I support WAVE (We All Value Education) and the work that Scott McKee and John Shea are doing to raise awareness, and I approve more choices in education – choices that parents need to give their children the best educational opportunity.

You are my friend and neighbor and I am running for City Council so that you have a voice.