Newburyport council schedules budget workshops

May 17—NEWBURYPORT — Residents have the opportunity to take part in a series of workshops leading up to the City Council's special meeting to approve the fiscal 2022 budget on June 22.

Speaking Friday with internet radio host Joe DiBiase on Local Pulse, Ward 1 Councilor Sharif Zeid, who chairs the Committee on Budget & Finance, said residents are encouraged to take part in the process and ask questions.

The first budget workshop, held Thursday on Zoom, focused on the City Council, parking clerk, mayor's office, information technology, Board of Registrars and other municipal offices.

The next workshop on Wednesday will focus on education, including public schools, Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Other workshops will take place May 20, May 26, May 27, June 2 and June 9.

Only four members of the public, including DiBiase, attended the first budget workshop last week.

These workshops provide time for the council to discuss specific items that each department has proposed.

During the year, a lot of residents reach out to their councilors, asking if certain items such as sidewalks and streets can receive more funding.

"A city really is its priorities and its priorities are its budget, so this is a great time of year to get involved and come listen to a workshop or two," Zeid said. "If you can't attend, the recordings are typically made available the next day — one of the magic pieces of Zoom."

The fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30.

Though the City Council discusses the budget primarily in the spring, the actual process continues throughout the year.

Last week, Mayor Donna Holaday submitted a $88,870,608 budget proposal to the City Council.

The city charter allows the council to cut the budget, but not to add to it. If something is cut from the budget, the money cannot be reallocated elsewhere.

Any changes must originate with the mayor, which Zeid said a lot of residents do not realize.

"If you're interested in a priority, you should absolutely contact your city councilor, but you should understand that your city councilor and your City Council as a body does not have the power, for example, to add $500,000 next year for paving to the budget," he said.

Zeid also explained the tax rate, which is set in late fall.

"I think a lot of folks are under the impression that the City Council sits around and figures out how much we want to collect in taxes and sets a tax rate much like a company would set a prices for its product," he said.

The city has a levy limit, though, which means there is a maximum amount of taxes that can be collected.

Under the state's Proposition 2 1/2 statute, the tax levy can increase by up to 2.5% each year. Anything more than that needs to go before the voters for a potential override, Zeid explained.

"If it's $100, then the next year it can be $102.50 and that's it," he said. "You're capped off unless you're willing to go to the voters for a referendum and that's what's most folks are familiar with as an override."

After figuring out the tax levy, the city assessor determines property values, Zeid said. The two numbers are then divided to determine the tax rate, so it's math, not a policy decision, he explained.

New growth can also affect these numbers because as the city economy booms, new properties are developed and other properties can increase in value.

For fiscal 2022, Zeid said the city is looking at about $700,000 in new growth.

Also on the show, Jack Santos and Bob Watts discussed the sixth annual If This House Could Talk, an event held during Yankee Homecoming that encourages people to discover the history of houses in Newburyport.

Those looking to learn a bit more about the history of their own home can receive assistance through Newburyport Public Library and the Newburyport Preservation Trust.

To learn more about participating in the event, visit https://walknewburyport.wordpress.com.

To listen to this episode of Local Pulse or download podcasts at any time, go to NewburyportNews.com/LocalPulse.