|
April 28, 1981
<br />
<br /> Charles H. Monroe, 2125 Jefferson Street, representing PTA, spoke regarding the $400,000
<br /> energy deficit' of the SchoOl Board and that it be given consideration.
<br /> David K. Garth, 116 Sandpiper Drive, spoke c.oncerning the School Budget and ask to suppor
<br /> what the citizens wanted pay taxes for a better school system that is proposed in the
<br /> School Board budget.
<br /> E. W. Sherrill, 4824 Thornwood Street, referred to the Civil Defense Budget, Helicopter
<br /> Operation, and asked if the city could maintain to operate three (3) helicopters, and
<br /> referred to various other items in the budget.
<br /> Dick Greens, 101 Mayflower Road, representing Olive Branch Forum as a volunteer worker
<br /> for Parks & Recreation, requested that the Parks g Recreation budget be approved as
<br /> presented.
<br /> Louis Whitehead, 4415 County Street, opposed of the closing on any fire station or re-
<br /> duction of personnel on the Fire Department or Police Department.
<br />Joseph E. Knight, 4820 Portsmouth Boulevard, representing Simonsdale Civic Club, spoke
<br /> on the entire budget, and that consideration be given before it is adopted.
<br />Harrill H. Young, 441 Chautauqua Avenue, spoke concerning over employment of some depart-
<br /> ments~and drainage conditions in the Port Norfolk area.
<br />Raymond"Turner, 526 Bunche Court, representing Portsmouth Central Civic Forum, spoke
<br /> concerning the School budget and that consideration be given on the proposed cut in th~
<br /> budget.
<br />Thomas David Parham, III, Qtrs. I, NNSY, representing Student Body of I. C. Norcom High
<br /> School, spoke in favor of better salaries for ~he teachers.
<br />Ms. Catherine Roberts, 600 Roosevelt Boulevard, representing PEA, spoke concerning
<br /> priorities for the budget and where education fits in and quoted from the Ohio Mason.
<br />Ms. Lupe Genera, 202 Sandpiper Drive, representing Shea Terrace PTA, spoke in support
<br /> of the School Board and firemen.
<br />Ms. Mae Cummins, 230 Armstrong Street, representing Parents Concerned about Education
<br /> and Safety, spoke concerning school funding and mn support of Jamestown Fire Station.
<br />Dr. M. E. Alford, 37 Early Drive, Superintendent of Public Schools, made the following
<br /> statement:
<br />
<br />"Mr. House in his letter of transmittal to you cited some of the problems this city
<br />faces. I do not disagree with the first one of them. Wben he says this city is financin
<br />its current budget, which amounts to $3,000,000 deficit, I recognmze it. I've.~recognized
<br />it for a period of 4½ years. I do not like it it simply means that we are borrowing
<br />now against the future. I also recognize that he has tremendous demands made upon him
<br />coming in here in a few short weeks to put a budget together. We have a little levity
<br />that we use down where we were working on the budget when somebody said it was a "Cbsrry"
<br />budget, so we have Been working for the "cherry", I then think Mr. House has too and if
<br />he could find $3,000,000, then we would have a balanced budget. Notwithstanding that
<br />problem that you face, we also have to live in the present and we have to live in 1981-82
<br />I am willing to work with Mr. House in anyway that's possible to see that the deficit is
<br />erased. I'~ willing to work to expand the tax base of the city, I have in the pas~, I'm
<br />willing to join services, I'm willing to join studies. I'm willing to do all the activiti
<br />required but I'm not willing to stand silently or remain quiet when from his point of
<br />view, his analysis of the budget but I think you have to stop to see the track we have
<br />been traveling on for a period of ~ years. And that track that road bed is labeled
<br />"parity". If it requires, in your judgement, that you must levy additional taxes
<br />not provide any increase to any employee or any department, I can defend that if it
<br />means that you want to stop with a step I can defend that. If you want to give city
<br />employees a step and 5% and do the same thing for the school board I can defend that.
<br />If you want to go on the justification need of the school board budget ef 12½%, with no
<br />capital or current expenditure, for-school'bnses~and many other items I can also defen~
<br />that. But I cannot defend - I ~ill not try to defend I will attempt to try to lead the
<br />community to fully understand that whatever resources are in this community, and what-
<br />ever is needed, that all city employees and school board employees will be treated alike
<br />in fringe benefits and salaries."
<br />
<br />Mrs. Susan Beasley, 4700 Mallard
<br /> budget ~ a 49% increase in one
<br /> which she mentioned.
<br />
<br />Circle, spoke and referred to various items in the
<br />particular salary and to consider the inequity of
<br />
<br /> 8~=149 "Consideration of the following ordinances on first reading imposing and
<br />levying taxes for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 1981.
<br />
<br /> (a) Consideration of an ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 1980-54 mmposing and levying
<br />taxes-for~tRe~Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 1981, and ending June 30,.1982, and also for each
<br />and every fiscal year thereafter beginning July 1 and ending June 30 o~ each such year, unless
<br />otherwise changed by Council, on real estate, tangible personal property, and mashinery and
<br />tools within the City of Portsmonth, Virginia for the purpose of raising revenue for the
<br />support of~g,o+vernmental operations and the public free schools and to pay principal and inter-
<br />est on th$$~%lic debt.
<br />
<br /> This ordinance mncreases the real estate tax rate by 7¢, from the current $1.28 per $100
<br />of assessed value to $1.3S per $100 of assessed value. In addition the ordinance increases th
<br />machinery and ~ool tax rate by S0~, from the current $1.50 per $100 of assessed value to $2.00
<br />per $100 of assessed value.
<br />
<br /> (b) Consideratmon of an ordinance to amend Section 3S-91 of the Code
<br />Portsmouth, Virginia, 1973, pertaining to increasing the cigarette tax.
<br />
<br /> ~his ordinance will increase the cigarette tax rate from the current
<br />1S¢ per pack.
<br />
<br />of the City of
<br />10¢ per pack to
<br />
<br />
<br />
|