City Council President Patrick Keefe said that if Ways and Means subcommittee hearings on the Fiscal Year 2021 budget continue to go smoothly, he expects the full Council to vote on the budget at its June 22 Council meeting.
Ways and Means Chair John Powers has been leading the subcommittee discussions about the budget this week.
Finance Director Richard Viscay presented Mayor Brian Arrigo’s city budget at the June 8 meeting. Arrigo addressed the Council at that meeting.
“Obviously this budget cycle is a little bit different than what we’ve grown accustomed to and I want to commend Rich and his team for being able to put something together that is our best estimate to where we’re going to land for Fiscal Year ’21,†said Arrigo.
“We are projecting a lot of revenue decreases and you’ll find that there’s a combination of reductions in force and cuts and the use of Free Cash to get us through the next Fiscal Year,†added Mayor Arrigo “This is certainly a lean budget but it’s one that reflects the best estimates that we have in terms of our conversations with our partners at the state level and what we know that is happening on the federal level.â€
Keefe called the reduced spending in the budget “responsible, given the economic future we are facing and the expected local and federal funding shortfalls.â€
Keefe believes that essential city services will continue at the high level of excellence that residents have come to expect from city government and departments. “The budget is certainly going to be leaner and people will need to wear more hats, but I still believe we can still provide the highest level of service.â€
He commended Mayor Arrigo for maintaining the current number of uniformed positions in the Police and Fire Departments.
“Public safety and education are always the cornerstone of how we should plan our budget, so I’m happy that we will not see a reduction in manpower,†said Keefe.
The City Council will convene Monday at 6 p.m., with the meeting being broadcast on Zoom and the Revere TV YouTube channel.
