Serfilippi at Budget Hearing - March

“Of the four residents who spoke, Dennis Serfilippi had the most questions.

He wanted to know why the budget was not available in excel so it can be easily analyzed; he asked how much of the capital budget is being used to generate efficiencies in the departments “do more with less and do it better.”

He also asked asked how the city can prepare a budget for the New Haven Fire Department and for the New Haven Police Department without a study of what their actual staffing needs are.

Serflippi asked why it takes $25,000 a year to educate one student in its public school system; he asked why the $400 million education system still does not have a chief financial officer; he wants to know if there is money for operational audits for any of the departments; was there money in the proposed budget to pay the young police officers a bigger salary to keep them from leaving after they are trained. The police’s contract is in binding arbitration.

He asked how much the mayor’s police protection costs; he also inquired about money to improve the main thoroughfares of Whalley, Dixwell and Grand avenues. Serflippi asked about the 5-year budget is. If it is available, he wants to see it in excel. He didn’t get his answers at the budget hearing.”

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/New-Haven-budget-hearing-reveals-revenue-boosts-13680813.php

Serfilippi FOIA's Details Behind BOE Mitigation Plan

Listed below is a FOIA request I made to Dr. Birk’s and the Board of Education back in May. Dr. Birks never responded. It is one of many reasons why I openly called for Dr. Birks to resign while so many of our Alders remained silent.

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Good day Dr. Birks -

I attended the Board of Finance Workshop Tuesday evening where you presented the BOE Budget Mitigation Plan. I've attached a screenshot of the Plan. I'm asking that you share the details/specifics/calculations/formulas behind the numbers presented. For example, the 'develop district-wide' staffing model results in a reduction of $12,082,723. The $12,082,723 is a very specific number. Please share the calculations and support for this amount so we can understand how many positions are involved, how many classes, how many schools, etc. Same for the rest of the line items in the presentation. Also, and equally as important, is the timeline for the savings. The budget year begins July 1 and he school year in August. It's important to understand exactly WHEN (which month) these reductions kick in, and what is Plan B IF the reductions do not come to fruition on schedule, or at all. Frankly, I am very skeptical, but perhaps my skepticism will be put to rest once we see the specifics. And, I hope the Board of Alders will perform the necessary oversight on behalf of the taxpayers and NOT approve the Mayor's budget until it has seen, and vetted, the specifics of the BOE mitigation plan.

Regards,

Dennis Serfilippi

New NHFD Contract to Cost City Taxpayers Tens of Millions $$$'s

Today the New Haven Independent published my analysis of the Memorandum of Understanding the City of New Haven signed with the NHFD on July 12th. Please click the link at the bottom of the page for the full analysis.

In summary, for political expediency the City chose to engage the NHFD in contract negotiations rather than wait for a city approved operational audit of the department. The agreement maintains minimum staffing at 72 per shift, handcuffs the ability of the City to make staffing changes, and does little to address the demand for paramedic services while wasting $1 million a year on unnecessary resources. The suggestion the city could dramatically modify its ALS approach and save millions of dollars is without merit, and the proposed solutions are destined to failure. Changes to vacation scheduling, overtime hiring and acting pay will actually cost the City more, as will the newly established stipend for drivers, and grandfathering educational support for employees no longer performing paramedic duties. But, the most costly part of the agreement is rolling back the pension provisions, and spousal benefits that were agreed to in 2013. Those changes will eventually cost the city $300 million, and increase the likelihood of municipal bankruptcy.

Full, in-depth analysis is available at this link

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/nhfd_mou_raises_questions/?fbclid=IwAR3ZpYedZfEcn39CTxMN1U9IyZrLveNDhST19ECPBOPbnL2t6JZxCl-XnFE