Rochester City Council Approves Budget, Addition of Narcotics Officer

It took six months to plan, propose and debate the city of Rochester's 2011-12 budget.

Monday night, Rochester City Councilmembers approved the $20.8 million balanced budget, which covers the fiscal year July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012.

Budget highlights include:

• The largest expenditure: Police and fire departments, which represent 43 percent of the general fund spending.
• The largest revenue source: Real estate taxes, which provide 73 percent of the city's revenue.
• Property tax mills will remain the same (12.4304).
• The city's new policy of seeking bids on all services produced about $330,000 in annual savings over two years.
• Property values in the city saw a reduction of 5.51 percent, though  residential property values were only decreased by 3.3 percent; there was a 12.2 percent reduction of commercial/industrial values.
• The Downtown Development Authority budget faces a decrease of about $460,000 from the extinguishing of a bond debt.
• A federal health care law change that has employees covering dependents up to age 26 cost the city about $26,000.

The budget also includes a few new investments, including a $330,000 fire truck replacement, a new $70,000 ambulance and a Narcotics Enforcement Officer. That officer position was one item that drew discussion during city council's consideration of the budget on Monday night.

Councilmember David Becker asked to not fund the officer, which would be part of a countywide enforcement team. The city's cost this year would be $15,000; in future years, it was expected this position would cost the city $30,000.

"We in the city, for the last three, four and five years have really been cutting the city budget in many ways," Becker said. "We've been looking for $5,000 here and there. We've really been making an effort to cut back on the budget to meet the current financial difficulties, and it's inappropriate to add to our most expensive department in the city.

"To be adding personnel to the department ... is a slap in the face to all of the people in this building who haven't had a pay raise."

The police department budget is 35 percent of the city's overall budget and includes 26 full-time and three part-time employees.

Councilmember Kim Russell agreed with Becker. "If you put more money into a drug program, it does not decrease the problem," she said. "I don't think this is the right time for this particular officer to come into play out of our budget."

Russell and Becker voted not to fund the position.

The remaining four councilmembers and Mayor Jeff Cuthbertson supported the addition of this officer.

"Ever since I've been on this council, I've said what makes a great city is a safe city," councilmember Stuart Bikson said. "We can afford this, because we've put a high priority on this."

Councilmember Ben Giovanelli called the added officer a "proverbial no-brainer."