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After nearly seven hours and about 450 roll-call votes on more than 1,300 proposed cuts, city councilors finalized the budget this week for the upcoming fiscal year by removing $10.2 million — or about 2% — from Mayor Jon Mitchell’s proposal.
Councilors adjourned at 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, long after the sun had set on the hottest day of the year so far — and only a few hours before it would rise on the next one. Councilors sweated through every line of the city’s approximately $500 million budget, extending themselves through the one night where they have leverage against a mayoral administration that most councilors say likes to overspend.
“This is the single chance we have to reduce the budget,” said Ward 6 Councilor Ryan Pereira, in remarks at the beginning of the session. “Tonight we effectively set the tax rate … and this is our only opportunity to actually lower it.”
“This council acts responsibly and takes this job seriously,” said Ward 3 Councilor Shawn Oliver. “We do our due diligence … We don’t arbitrarily make decisions here.”
The evening saw cuts of varying size to nearly every city department. Some of the largest were to the schools ($1.7 million), police ($1.1 million), and the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center ($583,996) — the last of these entirely eliminated the city’s support for the theatre from this year’s budget.
But the main takeaway from the evening may have been the council’s dogged persistence to sweat the small stuff. Early in the evening, Bob Ekstrom, New Bedford’s chief financial officer and quarterback of the mayor’s budget team, said, “All these cuts for less than $1,000 are blowing my mind.” That was at 8:40 p.m., with about five hours remaining until the night would conclude. ($1,000 is roughly 0.0002% of the annual city budget.)
Brian Gomes, the longest-serving city councilor, had proposed a 2% cut to every single line item in the budget. Gomes himself voted “no” on some of these — like the $50 proposed cut to “Other Charges” in the Health Department’s budget.
As the hours tolled, Gomes started to withdraw dozens of these small cuts, including proposals to shave another $50 from each of Inspectional Services, Labor Relations, and Licensing departments.
Other times these 2% cuts carried the council’s support, cutting nearly $30,000 from City Utilities, for example.
Councilors are by now prepared for the spectacular endurance it takes to perform this annual rite. Councilor Linda Morad took care to offer water to attendees and City Hall staff who worked into the night. Council President Shane Burgo at one point threw a granola bar into the upstairs gallery for the camera operator. Ward 1 Councilor Leo Choquette did jumping jacks in the hallway during a brief recess sometime around midnight.
The business of government efficiency raged on for so long in the sauna-like chambers that the winner of the New Bedford Half Marathon could have run the course five more times. The last place finisher would have had sufficient time to repeat the course — that is, if they could even stand.
There were also enough imbroglios and antics to fill a sitcom. At around 10 p.m., Councilor Ian Abreu spilled his trail mix on the floor and earned a small chorus of bemused laughter. At 12:21 a.m., Councilor Burgo retorted to Morad that she should stay on topic “or you may sit down,” after Morad scolded Burgo for rolling his eyes.
Some time between these two events, Pablo Rosario, the custodian working overtime that night, shuffled between the podiums and quietly swept up the trail mix.
Some of the biggest cuts and proposals, explained
Paring down the budget is the largest exercise of power for city councilors, and the process usually follows a familiar pattern. Proposed cuts to the Buttonwood Zoo were an illustrative example.
Ward 2 Councilor Maria Giesta proposed a $1.4 million reduction for zoo staff, the 915th proposed cut of the evening. This would have eliminated the zoo, in effect, by removing all its staff.
Before voting, councilors are invited to speak. In this case, Giesta rose, saying, “I have nothing against the zoo. In many ways it provides a product that’s very important when it comes to saving certain animals.” She continued, “What I have said and will continue to say is that the zoo needs to be privatized. Period. I don’t think residents of this city should be obligated to pay [for the zoo].”
Councilors then voted, and Giesta’s proposal failed by a vote of 1-10.
Next, proposed cuts on the same budget item are considered in order from highest to lowest. For the zoo staff, Morad had configured 11 different cuts that tinkered with the number of position eliminations, vacancy savings, and other reductions. Pereira proposed nine cuts of his own. Naomi Carney proposed five.
On Morad’s first proposal, which would eliminate $131,794, she added her vote to Giesta’s. But no other councilors were on board, and they lost 2-9.
With each successive proposal, however, the considered cuts got smaller — $91,000, then $89,000, then $84,000 — and more and more councilors got on board. The votes lost by slimmer margins of 3-8, then 5-6. Finally, a joint proposal from Morad and Pereira got enough support to trim $77,883.
After voting on eight different proposals, this cut was accepted and became final. Councilors then turned the page and the process repeated with another proposal from Giesta to eliminate the zoo’s entire purchasing budget (which no other councilors supported) and several more modest cuts (which eventually snowballed into enough support).
While the sheer volume of proposed cuts (1,309 at the beginning of the night) characterized the evening, only a small handful actually determined the majority of dollars withheld.
The cut to the School Department was the single largest cut of the evening, at $1.7 million — or one-sixth of the council’s total slashing. Giesta had proposed wiping out a whopping $6 million, but did not receive any support. Pereira initially suggested cutting $3 million, but also made 30 different proposals to fish for the council’s support at any level.
School funding, however, is mandated by law. New Bedford underfunded its schools more than any other place in Massachusetts during the 2010s, and only recently has started to meet the state-mandated minimum.
Pereira told the council that his strategy was to intentionally go beneath this minimum so that the council could add back the precise amount it needs after the state finalizes its budget — not risking overspending on education by even a dollar.
In a tight budget, councilors took this approach with their cuts to police and fire departments, too. Police saw a $1 million cut to their payroll, and fire was cut $300,000. “Come back to us with what you need,” said Morad, promising that the council would support first responders when the time came with a supplemental budget.
Big ticket rollbacks happened in the city’s spending on water services and facilities and fleet management. Between four separate cuts to the enterprise funds for water distribution and wastewater treatment, the council lopped off $2.2 million. Three cuts to facilities and fleet management reduced another $577,000 — plus another Gomes’ proposal to cut just $100 also passed.
Among many tough choices, health insurance took a $750,000 hit and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) lost $143,451.
Other cuts seemed animated with political purpose. City Solicitor Eric Jaikes watched live as councilors voted for the “removal of Solicitor’s position,” which across four votes came within one ballot of passing each time. Moments earlier, Morad had spoken about the “disconnect between us and the solicitor’s office” — then she voted to remove the position four times.
“Now I have to come to work tomorrow!” Jaikes joked during the next recess. It’s not clear what would have happened if legislators fired the city’s own lawyer.
No more money for the Zeiterion
Five and a half hours into the evening, a proposed 0.1% reduction of the city’s overall budget passed by one vote, shocking some of the councilors and wiping away the city’s relationship with one of its most treasured landmarks.
Every dollar in the city budget destined for the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, a nonprofit group that operates music, arts, and cultural programming out of a city-owned theater, was cut. All $583,996 of them.
The city had entered into a contractual agreement with the Zeiterion — also known as the Z — and removing its funding may put the city in breach of that contract.
“We have a fiduciary responsibility to fund an agreement that this body entered into,” said Ryan Pereira, the lone counselor who spoke against the proposed cut.
Linda Morad offered her take: “Don’t give me all this bullshit about what the Z does for downtown … I want you to go to Coggeshall Street and find a person that’s going to the Z on a performance night.”
She continued, “We’re taking over $500,000 of taxpayer money, and we’re giving it to this nonprofit! When are all the other businesses in this city going to come and ask [for money] … That’s not what the city budget is for.”
Visitors to the Zeiterion were estimated to inject $3.6 million into the local economy. The Zeiterion itself employs 338 people and serves 70,000 patrons each year. In total, the nonprofit, its partners, and its patrons are estimated to spend $10.2 million per year in the Greater New Bedford area.
The proposed cut passed 6-5. Councilors Derek Baptiste, Carney, Giesta, Gomes, Morad, and Oliver voted for the cut.
Rosemary Gill, president of the Zeiterion, said that this cut “jeopardizes not only our once-in-a-generation renovation of this city-owned building, but the future of our nonprofit itself,” referencing the $37 million ongoing renovation project, paid for almost entirely with state and federal funds. She continued, “This annual support agreement is far more than a line item. It is essential to completing this vital civic project, as other funding sources require its stability.”
What happens next is not yet clear.
At the end of the night, councilors made for the exits. Hours earlier, councilor Shawn Oliver described the goal of the night: “We’re not just hacking away to make headlines. We’re making responsible, diligent assessments.”
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org
Excellent reporting here by The Light, as usual. And what another embarrassing moment for our “governing body”. Any person who genuinely suggests cutting $6M from already underfunded public schools and then has to be “walked” to a $1.7M cut, the largest of them all, is not a serious person and not someone who needs to be in charge of adult decisions. I think I know some people in Ward 2 who may agree and see fit to relieve Maria of this obviously challenging task.
Local government matters. This mess is why. Hope to see some new names and real solutions on the ballot this fall. Maybe you’ll see mine!
Once again the City Council failed to do it’s job and make the needed cuts, and AGAIN TAXES WILL GO UP IN THE CITY OF NEW BEDFORD.
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The facts show that since Mayor Mitchell was elected, Six Senior Councilors (Abreu, Carney, Giesta, Gomes, Lopes, and Morad) have all been along for the ride approving budgets that have increased spending by over $300 Million Dollars (the budget has grown from $247.3 Million Dollars to the present approved budget of $550.8 Million Dollars).
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More facts with a wealth of non profits and state agencies that contribute nothing to the tax base, no new revenue streams on the horizon, limited state aid, this administration with the blessing of the City Council will continue to expand city government on the backs of the New Bedford Taxpayers.
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After watching the budget cut meeting, with the exceptions of Councilor Choquette and Councilor Oliver, the rest of the city council members showed they do not care about the taxpayers, and are not worthy of being relected. It’s real clear we need new leadership and come the fall election, say thanks for the new taxes, and kick the rest of the City Council to the curb.
Deeply unserious, petty people. Where is the “cut sheet” they read from at the meeting? I cannot find it one their agenda page. Is it not a public document?
The same students that picketed against the school committee are possible voters next time around. So keep it up, they all see the waste in the school dept. Many would be embarrassed to work in the City, all levels of positions, these children have parents and families the have or currently worked in a he school department. They also have parents retiring because of the he current admin. Way to go! NOT! Children are not stupid! They may have struggles with academics. Their voices are about to be heard.
Cutting police, EMS, the zoo, and a cultural landmark for a city the size and make up of New Bedford. Disgusting. Each councilor should face challenges next election especially Morad and Giesta.
This city has way too many landlords and way too few residents who care enough to vote.
Of course the landlords don’t want to pay any taxes, they don’t live here.
Of course the homeowners who have lived here for 60 years don’t want to pay any taxes, they fondly remember the days when NB was a cultural desert. They stayed hoping it would last forever.
So short sighted. NB is up and coming. We have the train. We have the Z. We have the Whaling Museum. We have a vibrant downtown. We have an art scene. We have theater. We have great restaurants. We have the ferry.
All these things are why you lifers get to watch your property values head in to space. You should be voting for more. Vote out the fools who listen to the landlords. Pay your taxes with pride, or force your landlords to.
You forgot to mention the number of drug addicts, drug dealers, and terrible tenants New Bedford home owners now have for neighbors. Those multi family homeowners (slumlords) who should be charged commercial tax rates, it’s not a home for those people, it’s a business that generates revenue for the property owners who couldn’t care less who lives in their property, or what goes on there because they’re not affected by it as long as they receive their monthly rent checks from the tenant, Section 8, and welfare.
Whether you want to admit it or not, New Bedford’s best days are behind us, and with each passing year, regardless of who the mayor in, all the expenses will continue to rise just like they do with private business from the smallest with 4 employees to the largest with over 300,000 employees, so don’t expect any changes.
The cuts are disappointing. Our schools are already in need of funding and the fact that Giesta proposed a 6 million dollar cut is insane. Morad’s comments about the Z are horrible too. Arts and culture is what brings people to cities and if we start to remove that, we will lose even more revenue.
I agree, in the city and SCHOOLS.
Best detailed reporting from such an impactful city council meeting. I had to reread it to take it all in. Thank you, this helps future voting decisions for sure. New Bedford Light should be read by all to better understand what is going on with our city.
And watching our local cable station of council meetings is there for all to watch. Important resource for informed understanding of our local government. Care enough to pay attention, that’s our responsibility as voters and residents of New Bedford.
We need new blood on the City Council. People who truly care about the
City as a whole, what it has to offer tourists, what it has to offer its residents and aren’t just focused on cutting money from agencies that need their funding.
It seems like they cut the wrong things? Cutting the Z is pennywise and pound foolish. Maybe the worst school district in the state? Let’s cut it!!
I was so caught up in the dramatic retelling of the budget slashing that I overcooked my ramen. Excellent writing, thank you.
“…go to Coggeshall Street and find a person that’s going to the Z on a performance night.”
The Z is not for the everyman of this city, councilor. It’s for those with jobs that pay over the minimum by more than 50¢, for those whose housing costs are less than 50% of their take-home pay, for those who don’t have to wait under the unrelenting heavens for a dubious bus. When has the city could passed a policy enabling access to the arts? Did the city subsidy to the Z provide access for the so-called people of Coggeshall?
really was a wild comment. The Z brings in so much revenue to not support it is wild.
Half a mil. yearly for the Z, no wonder the streets, roads, avenues, lanes, and blvds. are such a bloody mess. I’m sure the movers and shakers who enjoy the Z regularly will cough it up.
$500,000 per year doesn’t go very far in paving streets, avenues, boulevard’s anywhere.