Budget Deliberations Update
It has been so great to see so many community members coming together to support non-profits, small businesses, neighbors, and friends during these challenging times. These small and large efforts do not go unnoticed and serve to make our community stronger.
As you may have seen, at our last regular meeting the City Manager provided an update on the fiscal status of the City. Thankfully the steps taken over the last decade since the Great Recession have put the City on strong financial footing that - along with federal resources anticipated via recent legislation - will help us weather the rest of this fiscal year (which runs through the end of June). As budget deliberations continue over the coming weeks, we must also consider the second part of the Manager's update, the fact that in the coming year he anticipates significant revenue declines for the City (due to reductions in permit/registration fees, cancellation of recreation activities, anticipated reduced tax revenues, etc.). As such, the City Manager and all Departments are taking steps to consider what options we can explore to be cognizant of the challenges many residents face right now while also managing the potential impact on City services. In addition to the efforts of the City Departments, I am also appreciative of the efforts that the School Department and School Board have gone to in order to develop a scaled back budget proposal that still moves the district forward (video of their last meeting is posted here: dovernh.viebit.com/player.php?hash=absw3lsX6RfR). If you are interested in the full update from the Manager at our April 22nd meeting, it starts at 15:14 with the financial update starting at about 23:00 at this link: dovernh.viebit.com/player.php?hash=T1uF560aJiz7#.
Budget workshop meetings have also continued (remotely) over the last several weeks with the presentation files and session videos posted on the City budget website (www.dover.nh.gov/government/open-government/budget-revealed/fy2021-budget/index.html). This Wednesday is our final budget presentation (from Community Services). Once that presentation is complete, the Council will begin our more detailed discussion of proposed adjustments which will continue over the coming weeks as we work to make final decisions on the budget (likely in early to mid May). As always, if you have specific ideas or recommendations for the budget, please send them along to the Council by email at CityCouncil-All@dover.nh.gov or phone message at 603-516-MEET (6338).
The last item I wanted to include in this update is a reminder that property tax bills for the second half of Fiscal Year 2020 will be mailed shortly and are due on June 1st (these are based on the budget passed by the Council last year, not the one currently under discussion). For those concerned about their ability to pay, please contact City staff to discuss emergency abatement, payment plans, or other options. Visit www.dover.nh.gov/dovercares/ for details or call the Assessors Office at 603-516-6014.
Stay safe and healthy!