Mayor says Sea Isle City faces tax-rate increase
Article from the Press of Atlantic City--By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, 609-463-6713
Published: Wednesday, January 14, 2009
SEA ISLE CITY - The city cut its workforce and reduced overall expenses from last year but still faces a 2-cent tax-rate increase in 2009, Mayor Leonard Desiderio told City Council on Tuesday night.
Desiderio blamed the increase on a depleted surplus and less revenue from construction fees and city investments, largely attributed to the economic downturn.
Desiderio gave City Council his early budget projections during his annual State of the City address.
The city has about 10 percent fewer employees after City Council offered buyouts to its entire work force last year, Desiderio said.
Desiderio's address serves as a guideline for the five-member City Council, which is charged with sculpting a city budget that may differ significantly from the mayor's projections.
Budget meetings are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday and Friday at the Public Safety Building.
Meanwhile, Desiderio announced the city received state Department of Environmental Protection approval for a $2.6 million beach fill later this year in cooperation with neighboring Strathmere. The state would pay for 75 percent of the project.
The city stands to gain 400,000 cubic yards of sand from First to 15th streets and from 42nd to 52nd streets, Desiderio said.
The city's northern end sees severe erosion each year, and the city has trucked sand to the area in the past decade to cover its geotube, a large sandbag that runs alongside Landis Avenue.
In his annual address Tuesday, Desiderio also stressed the importance of a pending project at the Sea Isle City Marina that would create a boardwalk-type walkway along 42nd Place. City Council previously approved a bond ordinance to fund the project.
Desiderio also told City Council he would be asking for approval to bring a children's amusement park to that area, which is located one block south of John F. Kennedy Boulevard.
Next week, the city will advertise for proposals from amusement-park companies to lease the land to place the park, he said.
E-mail Brian Ianieri:
BIanieri@pressofac.com
