Bisignani: Cuts coming if ballot question fails

SAUGUS – Town Manager Andrew Bisignani on Wednesday warned if voters at the polls next Tuesday do not approve the one-time special assessment on property taxes to close a $1.27 million deficit from winter storm cleanup, the result will be steep cuts to town services, including public safety.A home rule petition approved by the Legislature earlier this year authorized the special town election on the ballot question that is the first of its kind in the Commonwealth. If approved, the measure would cost owners of the median-assessed home in town about $80, payable in two installments.The town budgeted $150,000 for snow and ice removal for the current fiscal year, and spent about $1.4 million. Municipalities can carry deficits for storm cleanup and debt service over to the new fiscal year, but those deficits must be resolved before a new budget can be set, Bisignani said.While there has been no organized public campaign against the one-time assessment, Bisignani said his concern is that apathy will be its biggest opponent on June 7.?There?s just a seeming lack of interest. I don?t think people realize the consequences if this doesn?t pass,” Bisignani said.He added that overtime for fire and police will be cut resulting in reduced police patrols and closure of the Essex Street firehouse. He said the School Department “would definitely” see cuts that would likely include layoffs.The town budget is approximately $74 million and Bisignani said that budget “is right to the wire with revenues and expenses with nothing left at the end of the year.”Although the $1.27 million assessment would offset snow and ice removal expenses, the town manager said there may also be a deficit at the end of the month (the end of the fiscal year) from declining revenue.?There are other issues; building permits are down, car sales are down which affects the excise tax, people are late with their (tax) payments,” the town manager said, adding that misinformation is another problem.?People are saying the town?s going to get a lot of money from RESCO (for environmental violation mitigation), but the case is that would take a substantial amount of time and will probably be decided through litigation,” he said.Saugus? residential property tax rate – $10.26 per thousand of assessed value – remains among the lowest in the region and if the assessment is approved, Bisignani said homeowners would pay “about another 80 bucks for the year, in two installments ? You can?t even buy dinner for 40 bucks.”?We need people to understand there will be serious and significant consequences that will affect town services if people don?t get out (to vote) and support this next Tuesday.”School Committee member Arthur Grabowski said, “I think for the benefit of the schools and all the progress we have made in the last several years, it is important for this to pass.”He added however, “The potential cuts (if the assessment is rejected) I don?t think would be catastrophic, but are going to have an impact on the town.”Grabowski said any concern town voters have might be satisfied if Bisignani announced exactly how the $1.27 million would be allocated – which departments would benefit from the assessment.?Maybe not a dollar figure but at least a percentage of what department?s would get,” he said ? That would allay skepticism.”The polls in Saugus are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.