OGDENSBURG, New York (WWNY) – Ogdensburg is looking at a $2 million budget deficit for next year and now city officials are thinking about what to do next. Cuts to its police and fire departments and tax increases are on the table.
“It’s such a large number that I don’t know how we’re going to overcome that,” said Ogdensburg Mayor Mike Skelly.
At Monday’s city council meeting, City Manager Stephen Jellie projected Ogdensburg is looking at a $2 million deficit in 2023.
“We have reduced 30 positions in two years, and we are still facing a deficit,” he said.
It may not be over. Jellie says cuts to the city’s police and fire departments could be coming.
“The city of Ogdensburg has a police department and a fire department that are too large, too big a structure, too much mission for what the city can afford,” he said.
Police Chief Mark Kearns tells 7 News he wouldn’t expect layoffs in his department, citing the city just added a new officer to help with current staffing issues.
Jellie says that was a short-sighted move by council, and the city has to bring its finances under control.
Councillor Dan Skamperle won’t support cuts to the police or fire departments, saying it’s a public safety issue and would make the overtime situation worse.
“The cuts are already too deep and I don’t think that’s going to solve the issue. It’s going to make the crisis even worse,” he said.
Skamperle says raising taxes and promoting business might be the way to go.
Skelly and Jellie don’t want to raise taxes or dip into the fund balance, which they describe as critically low at around $2.5 million.
Skamperle believes the city will dig itself out of the hole with new businesses coming to Ogdensburg, and that city councillors will have a better handle on things when they see sales tax numbers later this summer.
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