Mayor James J. Fiorentini > Press Release

October 17, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mayor:  City Will Survive $1 Million Cut-- “The Sky Is Not Falling”

HAVERHILL- Mayor James J. Fiorentini today stated that the City would survive the $1 million budget cut made by the Governor.  “The sky is not falling” said the Mayor, “and we will survive this.”

Mayor Fiorentini was reacting to Governor Patrick’s decision to cut $1 million from money the city receives to help pay the debt on the former Hale Hospital.  The city was left with $1.4 million in State funding for this item for Fiscal Year 2009.

The Mayor said that he would submit a “detailed plan” as early as Tuesday on how the city will balance the budget to meet the cuts.  He pledged to submit a two-year plan which would keep some money for next year.

“We have been meeting for weeks to prepare for the possibility that we would be cut,” noted the Mayor.  “I met personally with the Governor to lobby for our position, and I asked our department heads to prepare for the worst.  We were prepared and ready.”

“The plan I will submit on Tuesday will be a two-year plan, a plan for today and a plan for tomorrow.  While we have reserves that would get us through this cut, it would a grave mistake to drain our reserves this year.  We still face a structural deficit next year, and we need reserves.   The plan I will put forth will keep some reserves for next year.”

“Budgets need to be balanced at the State and local level, and the City will survive this,” emphasized the Mayor.  “However, I am far more concerned about the impact this dramatic economic slowdown will have on many of our fellow citizens.  I have met with many residents who are really struggling, unable to pay their fuel, electric or medical bills, to meet mortgage, rent, tuition or credit card payments, or to find a good job.  There are families in Haverhill struggling to put food on the table, and retirees who have lost pension benefits.  Our challenge is not to let these cutbacks in our budget affect the quality of life for these families too dramatically.  This is what we need to be concerned about,” reminded Mayor Fiorentini.

The Mayor also announced that the first departmental budget cuts would be to his own office.  “We will cut the Mayor’s office budget by $5,000, which is a cut of 2.7%.  That cut will come out of overtime and travel reimbursement for the Mayor,” the Mayor announced.