Jack Thorsen - City Councilor

CPI Up, but not Income – Residents Hard Pressed to Accept Tax Increases

Jack — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:06:44 +0000

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.

National (US) vs. Boston Metro Area Year-Over-Year Percentage Change in Pay

National (US)

Boston Metro Area

Get a Free Salary Report

Compensation Data Provided by PayScale, Inc.

—

(*note: It is not always “apples to apples” to compare budgets of different years because the conditions change – contingency funds for contractual obligations, for example, distort the comparison. The city returned over $2 million of budgeted collective bargaining funds to its fund balance in FY09 through FY11. Taking this out of the comparison results in an increase of two to three percent less. It is even harder to compare a current budget to a prior year’s actual expenditures, which can be found in the annual financial returns. Readers who want more detailed explanation are encouraged to participate in the public budget review process over the next couple of months.)

Fiscal Year 2013 Budget is now available for review.

Jack — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:02:38 +0000

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

Thank you to everyone who supported me!

Jack — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:20:51 +0000

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 … Continue reading →

A Friend on the City Council

Jack — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:14:18 +0000

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.