By Dan Rizzo
It is troubling that Mayor Arrigo is using the City Council and this valued public forum to espouse a made up $2 Million deficit and bring uneasiness to our residents. Mayor Arrigo knows full well (or should know full well) that our budget must be balanced by law, and approved by the Department of Revenue and the City Council each and every year. It is also troubling that he fails to acknowledge that during my four years as Mayor, in spite of being left with every single union contact at least two years out of date, being saddled with a draconian Water/Sewer Consent decree, and dealing with unprecedented overtime costs as a result of Suffolk County’s first ever recorded tornado without any federal or state assistance, we went on to win two budget awards for excellence in budgeting (the only two ever won), added close to three million dollars to our rainy day fund, and increased the city’s bond rating to it’s highest in the city’s history. Let’s also not forget last year’s worst winter in Massachusetts recorded history where we were forced to respond to over nine feet of snow compared to just about nine inches this year! We responded effectively while spending just under two million dollars in snow plowing and removal costs. Compare this to the 12 million dollars they spent in Somerville that is geographically close to our size.  I can assure you that if I was preparing the FY 17′ budget, I would not be presenting a budget to the City Council that was in deficit or showed a shortfall. Rather, it would be a budget that showed the same fiscal stability that we’ve shown over the last four years and four budgets. It is time to put political differences aside, and do what the taxpayers deserve- build our city up through collaboration, promote citizenry morale, and deliver the best services possible. The campaign is over. I would be happy to sit down with Mayor Arrigo and help him better understand the state of our city’s finances and offer assistance in keeping our city on a strong fiscal path.
Dan Rizzo is the former Mayor of Revere and is currently seeking the State Senate seat in teh First Suffolk and Middlesex District.
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