Tonight's Budget Hearing: $1.6M gaffe, Public Information, Dudley House, more

The Plainfield City Council will continue its hearings on Mayor Robinson-Briggs' proposed FY2009 budget tonight, 7:30 PM in the City Hall Library.

The city's auditors will be on hand, per the Council's request to the administration on Monday evening, and are expected to be asked their opinion on the administration's proposal to make up the $1.66M shortfall in part by reducing the amount projected to be collected in FY2009 as a reserve against uncollected taxes for the year.

Whether or not the question of who made the mistake that threw off the PILOT calculations for the Allen Homes comes up, the bottom line is that Mayor Robinson-Briggs and her hand-picked team of City Administrator Marc Dashield and Finance and Administration Director Doug Peck are firmly on the hook as responsible for submitting the wrong figure to the state and to the Council.

Adding insult to injury, Dashield informed the Council on Monday that it would be their responsibility to clean up the Mayor's mess.

Also on tap for tonight are discussions of Mayor Robinson-Briggs' proposal to have the City fund Dudley House (most of whose clients are non-Plainfielders) out of Plainfield taxpayer revenues. (For a thorough and thoughtful discussion of the Dudley House matter, see Councilor Storch's blog post here.)

Other items expected to be discussed are the funding of Mayor Robinson-Briggs' Public Information boondoggle proposal as well as an expansive Information Technology budget item.

Public input is sought -- and welcomed -- by the Council.

Come on out and share your thoughts and questions with them.

Plainfield City Council
FY2009 Budget Hearing

7:30 PM Tonight

City Hall Library
515 Watchung Avenue
(Parking and entrance at rear of building)

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-- Dan Damon

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