City Millage Rate To Go Down
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
After some number crunching, and other work, Mayor Tom Riel said the 4.46 millage rate proposed in the city budget will be lower.
"We don't know how much yet," Riel said during Tuesday's City Council meeting, "because we're still getting money in from timber and all kinds of other things."
"I can't promise you how much lower it's going to be, but it's not going to be the 4.46 mills."
Riel said they don't have their final numbers in, and don't want to make the situation seem any better or any worse than it is until they do get the numbers.
Council did, however, have to vote for the 4.46 rate Tuesday because that was the rate given in the first reading of the budget.
Riel said council will explain the budget to city residents on the radio and in the newspaper when they get the final numbers.
Later in the meeting, council approved a measure that will allow the city to charge other municipalities for requests for the police department for fingerprinting and criminal history background checks.
"This is one of the things we're doing to generate more revenue instead of giving things away for free," Riel said.
What Bradford budget discussion would be complete without talk of transforming the city fire department from paid to volunteer?
Bradford businessman John Kohler addressed council, saying that he doesn't understand why the city needs a paid fire department.
Riel said city government can't change that. It would have to be done by a referendum vote.
Riel said city officials are still doing everything they can to trim the budget but, he said, "It's not like we're a company putting out a hundred widgets a day and when half the business falls, we get rid of half the people."
He said they have to have police officers, firefighters, snow plow drivers, trash collectors.
"We have to provide essential services. You can't just go around and whack a bunch of people to avoid a tax increase," he said.
Firefighter Matt Rettger also addressed council and said that the average household pays just 18 cents a day for the fire department.
Councilman Ross Neidich said it may be time to look again at combining some township and city services.
"There are lots of things residents in the whole area are being given services for that they don't pay for," Neidich said. "Yet, we're looking at an increase in taxes for city residents who are footing bills for things that we are providing out of our realm of business."
Also Tuesday, council approved an ordinance that raises fines for parking tickets
Riel said although he voted for the ordinance he is still "in favor of removing parking meters and using computerized devices to generate tickets rather than having parking meters."
"I think the city would make out better in the long run if we go that route, and hopefully that might happen next year," he said.
Prior to the regular council meeting, OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews led a public hearing on the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's new Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 allocates nearly $60 million to Pennsylvania for the program, and Bradford is eligible for some of that money.
Among the projects Andrews plans to include in the grant application is demolition of blighted properties in the Elm Street (Project Pride) area.
Also prior to the meeting, council held a work session with Bradford landlords concerning an ordinance regarding rental properties.
Most of the landlords who packed city council chambers were concerned about penalties for violations.
Riel said several times that the ordinance is not aimed at the "good" landlords.
Attorney Greg Henry explained that the ordinance addresses "people that will rent out a code-deficient property, deliberately, in order to make money."
"It's designed to be an ordinance which helps us improve the housing stock within the city," Henry said. "(It's) not to punish people for simple mistakes."
During the regular meeting, Neidich commended the landlords for the manner in which they conducted themselves during the work session.
"They checked their nooses at the door," Riel joked.
WESB/WBRR News Director
After some number crunching, and other work, Mayor Tom Riel said the 4.46 millage rate proposed in the city budget will be lower.
"We don't know how much yet," Riel said during Tuesday's City Council meeting, "because we're still getting money in from timber and all kinds of other things."
"I can't promise you how much lower it's going to be, but it's not going to be the 4.46 mills."
Riel said they don't have their final numbers in, and don't want to make the situation seem any better or any worse than it is until they do get the numbers.
Council did, however, have to vote for the 4.46 rate Tuesday because that was the rate given in the first reading of the budget.
Riel said council will explain the budget to city residents on the radio and in the newspaper when they get the final numbers.
Later in the meeting, council approved a measure that will allow the city to charge other municipalities for requests for the police department for fingerprinting and criminal history background checks.
"This is one of the things we're doing to generate more revenue instead of giving things away for free," Riel said.
What Bradford budget discussion would be complete without talk of transforming the city fire department from paid to volunteer?
Bradford businessman John Kohler addressed council, saying that he doesn't understand why the city needs a paid fire department.
Riel said city government can't change that. It would have to be done by a referendum vote.
Riel said city officials are still doing everything they can to trim the budget but, he said, "It's not like we're a company putting out a hundred widgets a day and when half the business falls, we get rid of half the people."
He said they have to have police officers, firefighters, snow plow drivers, trash collectors.
"We have to provide essential services. You can't just go around and whack a bunch of people to avoid a tax increase," he said.
Firefighter Matt Rettger also addressed council and said that the average household pays just 18 cents a day for the fire department.Councilman Ross Neidich said it may be time to look again at combining some township and city services.
"There are lots of things residents in the whole area are being given services for that they don't pay for," Neidich said. "Yet, we're looking at an increase in taxes for city residents who are footing bills for things that we are providing out of our realm of business."
Also Tuesday, council approved an ordinance that raises fines for parking tickets
Riel said although he voted for the ordinance he is still "in favor of removing parking meters and using computerized devices to generate tickets rather than having parking meters."
"I think the city would make out better in the long run if we go that route, and hopefully that might happen next year," he said.
Prior to the regular council meeting, OECD Executive Director Sara Andrews led a public hearing on the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's new Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 allocates nearly $60 million to Pennsylvania for the program, and Bradford is eligible for some of that money.
Among the projects Andrews plans to include in the grant application is demolition of blighted properties in the Elm Street (Project Pride) area.
Also prior to the meeting, council held a work session with Bradford landlords concerning an ordinance regarding rental properties.
Most of the landlords who packed city council chambers were concerned about penalties for violations.
Riel said several times that the ordinance is not aimed at the "good" landlords.
Attorney Greg Henry explained that the ordinance addresses "people that will rent out a code-deficient property, deliberately, in order to make money."
"It's designed to be an ordinance which helps us improve the housing stock within the city," Henry said. "(It's) not to punish people for simple mistakes."
During the regular meeting, Neidich commended the landlords for the manner in which they conducted themselves during the work session.
"They checked their nooses at the door," Riel joked.
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