So far we’ve seen a proposed municipal budget for Verona that is flat for the items that are within the rules for the state’s 2% budget increase cap. But outgoing Town Council President Teena Schwartz has asked Town Manager Joe Martin to come tonight’s meeting with options for keeping Verona’s increase to zero for costs outside the cap as well. The costs outside the cap are such things as health insurance and pension benefits and, as of the last budget meeting, they represented an increase of about 7%.
Getting Verona to a zero increase outside the cap would mean cutting roughly $800,000 from the drafted budget. Martin has indicated in a previous Town Council meeting that that is roughly the cost of one entire shift of police.
The Town Council Meeting begins at 7 p.m. and, as of now, will be held in the regular Council room on the second floor of Town Hall. If the location changes, we’ll let you know.
